A Grayslake man has been arrested after he was charged with driving drugged and hitting a teenage girl with his car, seriously injuring her near Grayslake.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy was on patrol around 11 p.m. on August 16, 2021, in the area of the 17900 block of West Gages Lake Road in unincorporated Grayslake.
The deputy heard what sounded like a loud car crash, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The deputy rounded the corner and located a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta involved in a serious crash.
An investigation revealed a 16-year-old girl was getting out of a car in her driveway, Covelli said.
The driver of the Volkswagen, Daniel J. Hunt, 30, of Grayslake, had been traveling eastbound on Gages Lake Road.
Covelli said Hunt lost control of the Volkswagen and drove directly into the 16-year-old girl and then struck the car she was exiting.
The girl was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Hunt suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was also transported to the hospital.
Covelli said Hunt showed signs of impairment and investigators obtained a search warrant for a blood draw while he was at the hospital.
Hunt’s blood was drawn and the vials were sent to the crime laboratory for analysis.
The results showed Hunt was driving under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, Covelli said.
Medical records were later obtained and the evidence was turned over to the state’s attorney’s office for analysis.
The case was presented to a Lake County grand jury in January and the grand jury issued an indictment.
Hunt was charged with 11 counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing bodily harm and one count of driving on a revoked or suspended license.
A warrant was issued for Hunt after he did not appear in court for an initial arraignment hearing.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Hunt last week at his residence in the 33200 block of North Indian Lane in unincorporated Grayslake.
Hunt remains held in the Lake County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
He would need to post $25,000 cash in order to be released. A status of attorney hearing is scheduled for Thursday.