The sheriff says four people fled on foot, prompting a police search, after a car slammed head-on into another vehicle and left two people seriously injured in Beach Park Friday afternoon.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:30 p.m. Friday to the area of North Avenue and West Mawman Avenue in Beach Park for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and learned four of the five occupants in the at-fault vehicle had fled on foot prior to their arrival, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
A preliminary investigation showed a Mitsubishi Outlander, driven by Gilberto Santiago Jr., 43, of Round Lake Park, was traveling southbound on North Avenue.
Covelli said the Mitsubishi veered into the northbound lane of traffic, striking a northbound Nissan Versa, driven by a 70-year-old Zion woman.
The impact of the crash caused a rear door to open in the Mitsubishi, resulting in an injured back seat passenger, a 43-year-old Zion man, to fall out of the car.
The back seat passenger was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries, Covelli said.
The driver of the Nissan was also transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.
Sheriff’s deputies established a perimeter around the area to search for Santiago Jr. and the others who fled.
A Waukegan Police Department canine team and a Libertyville Police Department drone operator assisted in the search and Santiago Jr. was located, Covelli said.
One of the passengers of the Mitsubishi was also located. Both Santiago Jr. and the passenger were uninjured.
The other two that fled from the Mitsubishi were not found following an extensive search.
Santiago Jr. appeared heavily intoxicated and was transported to the Lake County Jail, Covelli said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Santiago Jr. of aggravated driving under the influence, driving while license revoked, aggravated driving while license revoked, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and leaving the scene of a crash with injuries.
Santiago Jr. was being held in the Lake County Jail pending an initial court hearing on Saturday morning.