Police say charges are expected after an SUV pulled out in front of a motorcycle, causing a crash near the Walmart in Antioch that resulted in the rider being flown to the hospital in critical condition.
The Antioch Fire Department and Antioch Police Department responded around 12:10 p.m. Sunday to the area of Route 173 and Deep Lake Road for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Fire officials said crews arrived to find a crash involving a motorcycle and a car north of the intersection.
The crash, which occurred at the east entrance to the Walmart, resulted in the motorcycle coming to rest along the side of the road in the ditch.
The SUV involved remained at the scene and sustained moderate front-end damage.
Antioch Deputy Police Chief Charles Smith said an investigation showed a 34-year-old Antioch man was riding his 1969 Harley-Davidson southbound on Deep Lake Road.
A 2018 Ford Edge, driven by a 40-year-old woman from Salem, Wisconsin, was facing eastbound attempting to exit the Walmart entrance onto Deep Lake Road.
The driver of the Ford reported to investigators that she did not see the motorcycle and accidentally pulled out into its path, causing the collision, Smith said.
Fire officials said the male operator of the motorcycle suffered critical injuries.
A Flight For Life medical helicopter, based out of Burlington, Wisconsin, was requested to respond to the incident.
A landing zone was established at Hillcrest Elementary School, 433 Depot Street, and the helicopter landed in the parking lot.
An ambulance transported the motorcyclist to the landing zone and the helicopter flew the victim to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, which is a Level 1 trauma center.
As of Monday, the victim remains hospitalized in critical condition.
No injuries were reported to the occupants of the SUV and the motorcycle driver was the sole occupant of the motorcycle, fire officials said.
Police shut down Deep Lake Road between Depot Street and Route 173 for several hours.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) responded to the scene to conduct a crash investigation due to the severity of the incident.
Smith said charges are expected to be filed once MCAT completes its investigation.
“This tragic crash is a sobering reminder of the importance of staying alert and taking an extra moment to look for motorcycles,” Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow said.
“Motorcyclists are more vulnerable on the roadway, and it only takes a split second of inattention for lives to change forever. We urge all drivers to be vigilant, especially at intersections and when entering or exiting roadways,” Guttschow said.
The crash remains under investigation by the Antioch Police Department and MCAT.