A 34-year-old man has been charged with driving drunk and crashing into the back of a police squad car, injuring an officer, who had been blocking the roadway in Waukegan.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said a Waukegan police squad was blocking the roadway near Yorkhouse Road and Frolic Avenue around 3:56 a.m. Sunday.
The roadway was being blocked off due to a tree that had fallen onto Yorkhouse Road, causing eastbound traffic just west of Frolic Avenue to be impeded.
The squad car was fully marked and had its emergency lights activated, Chastain said.
A 2023 gray Hyundai Santa Fe crashed into the rear of the squad car, resulting in significant damage to both vehicles.
A Waukegan police officer was inside the vehicle at the time of the crash, Chastain said.
The driver of the Hyundai was identified as Victor Najarro-Castro, 34, of Waukegan.
The officer was injured and complained of pain in multiple areas of her body.
She was transported by paramedics to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Najarro-Castro was arrested for driving under the influence. He did not have insurance or a valid driver’s license.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Daly said the man showed “significant” signs of impairment.
Najarro-Castro claimed he did not see the squad car, Daly said.
Officers estimated he was traveling at the full speed limit of 35 mph at the time of the collision.
Najarro-Castro was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, improper use of registration, violation of a temporary license, failure to reduce speed and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.
The officer has since been treated and released from the hospital, Chastain said.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Najarro-Castro held on a $100,000 bond.
Najarro-Castro was released from the Lake County Jail after posting 10% of his bond.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday for a status of attorney hearing.