The police chief has released new information after a 46-year-old man, who was working on repairing his broken-down motorcycle, was found dead in a ditch the following day in Antioch.
Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow said his department received calls to their non-emergency dispatch line around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday for a person in the roadway near Route 173 and Deep Lake Road.
The callers reported a person wearing all black near a motorcycle.
An officer was dispatched five minutes later and arrived to find a broken-down motorcycle on Deep Lake Road just north of Route 173.
The motorcycle was parked on the shoulder alongside the northbound lane. It had obvious mechanical issues and was leaking oil, Guttschow said.
The officer noted it appeared that someone had been working on the motorcycle.
Guttschow said the officer checked the area but could not locate the driver.
A follow-up investigation showed the driver, William Webster, 46, of Lake Villa, was inside the Walmart around 9:30 p.m.
The man later went to Murphy’s gas station but the officer did not cross paths with Webster during that time.
Investigators are unsure what time Webster returned to his motorcycle, Guttschow said.
A police sergeant went to the scene just after midnight and found the motorcycle had additional work performed on it since earlier.
The sergeant figured the driver had left the area and planned to return at a later time, Guttschow said.
Around 6 a.m. Wednesday, a person driving by called 911 to report seeing a man, later learned to be Webster, down in the ditchline.
Webster was lying in the cattails approximately 40-50 feet away from the motorcycle in the ditch. He was confirmed to be deceased at the scene.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said a preliminary autopsy result showed Webster did not suffer any significant injuries. Final autopsy results are pending toxicology studies.
Webster was dressed in all-black clothing and in a difficult-to-see area. “It was unfortunate no one was able to see him. The officers did the best job they could given the circumstances,” Guttschow said.
The police chief said the officers did their due diligence and he fully stands behind them.
Guttschow said his department is waiting on the toxicology results but he believes the man suffered a “medical crisis” while in the cattails.