Charges have been filed against a suspect accused of leading police on a vehicle chase that ended in a fiery crash that resulted in a 5-year-old child being ejected and critically injured in Gurnee.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 5:50 p.m. Tuesday for a hit-and-run crash in the Grandwood Park area.
The driver reported that a pickup truck had struck his vehicle and the offending driver was possibly intoxicated, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli told Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
The incident occurred near a gas station in the 36000 block of Grandwood Drive in unincorporated Gurnee.
The same driver struck a second vehicle in the gas station parking lot moments later and fled again.
Witnesses reported the driver, later identified as Reno J. Giangiorgi, 34, of Gurnee, appeared to be bleeding and was driving erratically.
A responding sheriff’s deputy spotted the truck. The truck showed extremely erratic driving and a traffic stop was attempted on the vehicle, Covelli said.
Giangiorgi refused to stop and a low-speed police pursuit ensued.
The suspect sideswiped two vehicles at Hunt Club Road and Stearns School Road, causing minor injuries to one of the drivers.
Covelli said the truck continued fleeing but became stuck in traffic at Hunt Club Road and Grand Avenue.
Sheriff’s deputies attempted to take Giangiorgi into custody but traffic cleared and the suspect was able to continue fleeing.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Sue Price Cohen said the truck struck a sign near Washington Street and Route 21.
The truck continued driving erratically down several streets and eventually drove southbound on Route 21, reaching speeds of 90 mph, Price Cohen said.
Deputies were coordinating the deployment of spike strips when Giangiorgi entered the intersection at Gages Lake Road and Milwaukee Avenue on a red light, Covelli said.
The truck T-boned a Honda SUV as it was making a left turn and went into oncoming lanes, sideswiping a northbound vehicle.
The truck continued rolling southbound and deputies stopped the truck with their squads and took Giangiorgi into custody, Covelli said. He was transported to the hospital for minor injuries.
The Gurnee Fire Department and Libertyville Fire Department responded to the scene.
Firefighters extricated at least one victim from the wreckage. A fire was reported at the crash scene and extinguished.
Covelli said deputies rendered aid to those involved in the crash.
A mother, her two daughters — ages 2 and 5 — and a 16-year-old cousin were in the Honda, Price Cohen said.
Covelli said the 5-year-old girl was ejected from the car upon impact. She was initially transported to the hospital in critical condition but quickly stabilized.
She is now talking and lucid. Investigators are working to determine if she was properly restrained.
“Regardless, we are very grateful she is going to be okay,” Covelli said.
All four occupants in the Honda were transported to the hospital with injuries not reported to be life-threatening.
The occupant of the third vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was also transported.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was called to investigate the incident as an independent agency due to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office being involved in the pursuit.
Covelli said that when it comes to pursuits, sheriff’s deputies have to make a judgment call and assess public safety.
“Deputies have to make a judgment call and decide if they don’t pursue somebody, are they likely to cause harm to the general public? They have to weigh that with a number of factors,” Covelli said. “[…] the overall goal is to try and ensure no one is injured.”
Giangiorgi was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding and multiple traffic infractions. Additional charges are likely.
Giangiorgi remains held in the Lake County Jail after appearing for a First Appearance Court hearing on Wednesday morning.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Giangiorgi pending trial and Lake County Judge Stephen DeRue scheduled a detention hearing for Wednesday afternoon.
Covelli said that the victims of Giangiorgi’s reckless driving continue to improve and one of the children remains hospitalized.
“We intend to do everything we can to hold this reckless, intoxicated man accountable for his terrible actions,” Covelli said.
At the time of the incident, Giangiorgi was on pre-trial release for another driving under the influence arrest that occurred on May 4 in Lindenhurst.