A Crystal Lake woman has been charged for allegedly lying to investigators and coordinating the concealment of evidence after a man was killed in a drunk-driving ATV crash near Spring Grove.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 1 a.m. on February 7 to the intersection of North Lake Shore Drive and Greenwood Avenue in unincorporated Spring Grove for a call of a person down.
The initial 911 caller informed dispatchers that they found a person lying on the ground,ย according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Sheriffโs deputies arrived and located Glenn Luthardt, 56, of Spring Grove, with multiple injuries.
There was no vehicle in the vicinity and no initial obvious signs he was struck by a vehicle.
Lutheardt was unconscious and unresponsive, Covelli said.
He was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry in critical condition and later pronounced dead.
Sheriffโs detectives and sheriffโs crash investigators responded to the scene to further investigate.
An extensive investigation, including viewing nearby video surveillance and interviewing a number of people, was conducted.
Covelli said that detectives determined Luthardt was drinking at a nearby bar.
Before leaving the bar, he tripped and fell, which caused some injuries to his face. Luthardt left the bar on his ATV a short time later.
A witness told detectives that Luthardt crossed Grass Lake Road onto Lake Shore Drive and accelerated at a high rate of speed, Covelli said.
He lost control and was ejected from the ATV. The ATV landed on top of him.
Investigators learned Samantha Jacobson, 45, of Crystal Lake, had been with Luthardt at the bar earlier in the evening.
Jacobson reportedly told Luthardt not to drive but he ignored her.
Covelli said the woman was ultimately responsible for coordinating evidence that was hidden in the investigation.
Jacobson arranged for the ATV to be removed from the scene along with other evidence, Covelli said in an update Thursday.
Jacobson allegedly lied to investigators, telling them she was driving down the roadway and happened to come across the body in the roadway.
“She attempted to lead investigators into believing Luthardt was not involved in a crash,” Covelli said.
Investigators said Luthardt was under the influence of alcohol and driving with a revoked license.
Detectives searched the area following the crash and located Luthardtโs ATV several hours later in the backyard of a residence approximately a half-mile from the scene.
“From the decision to operate a vehicle under the influence, to the poor decision to lie and hide evidence, this entire set of circumstances is unfortunate. I cannot stress it enough, please do not drive under the influence, the consequences โ as they were in this case โ can cost lives,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.
Sheriffโs investigators presented the facts and evidence to the Lake County Stateโs Attorneyโs Office, which approved charges of two counts of obstructing justice.
An arrest warrant was drafted last week and Jacobson was arrested by sheriffโs deputies on Tuesday.
She appeared in court on Wednesday and was released pending trial. Jacobson is scheduled to appear in court again on November 7.