A bicyclist was seriously injured after being struck by a Wauconda driver who blew a red light before fleeing the scene along Route 176 in Prairie Grove, police said.
The Prairie Grove Police Department, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 10:20 a.m. Friday to Route 176 and Valley View Road for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Officers arrived and found a crash that had involved a vehicle and a bicycle at the intersection, according to Prairie Grove Chief of Police Michael Goins.
The vehicle fled the scene prior to officers arriving and the driver never stopped to render aid.
Goins said the offending vehicle was described as a white SUV.
The bicyclist, a 53-year-old man, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment and later released.
He will require future surgeries to repair his injuries, Goins said.
An investigation was conducted by officers, which led them to a location in Wauconda.
The officers located the suspect’s vehicle, which had damage consistent with the crash, Goins said.
They also located the suspect who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Goins said it is believed that the offending vehicle ran a red light and struck the bicyclist, who was riding across the intersection.
Officers arrested Cristopher Zavaleta, 23, of Wauconda, and transported him to the McHenry County Jail.
He was charged with failure to report a crash involving personal injury, a Class 2 felony.
He also received two traffic citations for disobeying a traffic control device and failure to yield at a stop intersection.
Court records show Zavaleta was released from the jail following an Initial Appearance Court hearing.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb denied a petition filed by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office to hold Zavaleta in custody pending trial.
Zavaleta was ordered not to leave the state without court permission and be placed on pre-trial supervision.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on November 19 for a status of preliminary hearing.