Police say charges are expected after a driver was located after crashing a truck into a business, causing the building to partially collapse in Waukegan, and fleeing the scene.
The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 2:12 a.m. Saturday to the area of Washington Street and Butrick Street for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Officers arrived on the scene to find a white 2011 Chevrolet pickup truck that had struck the building at 1408 Washington Street, according to Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain.
The Chevrolet, which had a snow plow attached to the front, heavily damaged the structure and caused it to partially collapse onto the vehicle.
The driver of the truck fled the scene on foot before officers arrived, Chastain said.
No injuries were reported to anyone at the scene. Officers later located the driver, a 24-year-old Waukegan man, at his residence.
Chastain said the man was transported to the hospital to be evaluated.
The suspect told officers he had just left a bar and got into the truck when he crashed.
He admitted to fleeing the scene with friends, Chastain said, adding that the man also admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages.
Residents nearby reported hearing a loud noise in the distance from the impact of the collision.
The Waukegan Building Department responded to the scene and deemed the building uninhabitable.
Tu Nueva Imagen, a beauty salon occupying the first-floor unit of the building, said they are indefinitely closed due to the crash. The business thanked their customers for their support.
Agencia de Viajes Mexico Waukegan, a travel agency occupying the first-floor unit next door, said their office is also closed until further notice and they have relocated to a temporary office.
Chastain said Friday that the case will be screened with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for the appropriate charges.