An alleged drunken driver was seriously injured after he crashed his car at a high rate of speed into a light pole and a vacant building in McHenry Monday evening.
The McHenry Police Department and McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 9:45 p.m. Monday to the area of Elm Street and Green Street for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Emergency crews arrived to find a black 2013 Cadillac CTS with heavy damage.
A preliminary investigation showed the Cadillac was traveling eastbound on Elm Street, also known as Route 120, through the intersection of Richmond Road, police officials said.
The driver of the Cadillac lost control and the vehicle left the roadway, striking a light pole at the Green Street intersection as well as a vacant building at 3510 West Elm Street.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which required firefighters to extricate the trapped driver.
Witnesses said the Cadillac had been traveling at an extremely high rate of speed prior to the crash.
Police officials said the driver and sole occupant of the Cadillac, Joseph A. Galan, 21, of Harvard, was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry.
The ambulance met a LifeNet medical helicopter at their base and transferred the victim to the helicopter.
Galan was flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for treatment of his injuries, which were considered serious, police officials said.
Galan was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving in the wrong lane, failure to wear a seatbelt and illegal transportation of open alcohol by a driver.
The McHenry County Regional Crash Assistance Team responded to the scene to assist in the crash investigation.
The team consists of police officers from the McHenry Police Department, Woodstock Police Department, Spring Grove Police Department, Harvard Police Department, Cary Police Department and Johnsburg Police Department.
Anyone with additional information on the crash is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Division of the McHenry Police Department at 815-363-2599.