Police arrested two suspects after officials say one of them caused multiple crashes in Lake County that left a 9-year-old seriously injured and the second fired shots as they fled from a crash.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Libertyville Fire Department responded around 4:55 p.m. Saturday to the area of O’Plaine Road and Route 137 in Green Oaks for a report of a hit-and-run vehicle crash with injuries.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a silver pickup truck had struck the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene.
A 9-year-old boy suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. He was transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, prosecutors said.
The driver of the pickup truck was later identified as Paul J. Zawojski, 29, of Park Ridge, Covelli said.
A further investigation revealed that the same pickup truck had been involved in a separate hit-and-run collision at O’Plaine Road and Route 120 in Waukegan just prior to the Green Oaks crash.
While fleeing from the crash at O’Plaine Road and Route 120, Zawojski illegally passed another vehicle and nearly forced it off the road, Covelli said.
Covelli said Zawojski sped past the vehicle and his passenger, Chase Parthe, 31, of Park Ridge, brandished a firearm and fired shots. It is unclear where he aimed at.
Lake County sheriff’s dispatchers issued a regional broadcast with a description of the vehicle and suspects.
A Highland Park police officer spotted the pickup truck a short time later near Route 41 and Deerfield Road and officers detained Zawojski and Parthe until sheriff’s deputies arrived, Covelli said.
Deputies conducted further investigation and recovered a 9mm pistol and numerous narcotics inside the vehicle.
Parthe was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of xanax, unlawful possession of adderall and unlawful possession of cannabis.
Zawojski was charged with unlawful possession of cocaine, failure to report a crash causing injury, open transprotation of alcohol and multiple traffic violations.
“Yet again, I am incredibly proud of our team! Our deputies quickly responded to the scene and investigated, while our 911 emergency telecommunicators were able to disseminate information quickly,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“All of this led to the apprehension of two incredibly reckless and dangerous men. We wish the child involved in the crash a speedy recovery,” Idleburg said.
Zawojski and Parthe appeared in First Appearance Court on Sunday morning.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain both men in custody while they await trial.
Both are set to appear for detention hearings on Monday afternoon.