A man found wandering around on an icy lake in unincorporated Lake Villa was rescued by the fire department and transported to the hospital Tuesday morning.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday to the 25200 block of West Buena Avenue in unincorporated Lake Villa.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a 911 caller reported a person was wandering on the ice for at least an hour.
Deputies arrived and attempted to make contact with the man using a public address system and siren.
The man was approximately 500 yards offshore on Columbia Bay, Covelli said.
He was wearing shorts and one shoe and did not respond to deputies.
The Lake Villa Fire Protection District, Fox Lake Fire Protection District, Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District and Antioch Fire Department responded to the scene.
A fire department airboat with surface rescue personnel in exposure suits was launched onto the lake.
Covelli said the man began running across the lake when the fire department arrived.
Fire crews were eventually able to get him onto the boat and return to land.
The man was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for cold exposure.
He told deputies that he believed he was out on the lake all night, Covelli said.
He also reported he lives at Electric Harbor and has “no idea” how he got out on the ice or why he was out there.