A 15-year-old driver who fled has been arrested and charged after crashing a car into a house, causing extensive damage, leaving residents homeless and injuring three in Algonquin Friday evening.
The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire District responded around 9:54 p.m. Friday to the intersection of Boyer Road and Williamsburg Drive for a vehicle crash with injuries.
An Algonquin police officer happened to come across the crash and called for the fire department and additional police units.
Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Chief John Knebl said firefighters arrived and found a Honda Accord that had crashed into a single-family ranch home in the 1000 block of Eineke Boulevard.
Algonquin Deputy Police Chief Timothy Cooney said the car struck the south side of the residence while the residents were home.
The car was occupied by a female juvenile passenger and paramedics transported her to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley, Knebl said.
Firefighters also met with the homeowners and paramedics also transported one of them to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley for treatment.
The driver of the Honda fled the scene on foot and a police search, including with the use of a McHenry County sheriff’s canine, began.
Knebl said fire crews evaluated the integrity of the structure and called for the Village of Algonquin’s building department.
The home was red-tagged and deemed uninhabitable due to the extensive damage, Knebl said.
A tow truck removed the car, which was halfway into the home, from the scene.
Cooney said a parent later brought the male juvenile driver to the Algonquin Police Department and he was taken into custody. He was transported to the hospital for treatment, Knebl said.
All three people hospitalized suffered minor injuries, Knebl added.
Cooney said the police department consulted with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division.
The juvenile, who is 15 years old and an Algonquin resident, has been charged through the juvenile court system with reckless driving, failure to remain at the scene of a personal injury crash, driving without having been issued a driver’s license, speeding 26-34 mph over the limit, driving too fast for conditions and failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash, and disobeying a stop sign.
The Algonquin Police Department said they continue to emphasize the importance of safe and lawful driving, particularly for newer drivers.
“Families and guardians play an important role in helping young drivers understand the responsibilities that come with being behind the wheel,” the department said.