A suspect was taken into custody after hitting a pedestrian, leaving him not breathing with serious injuries, and fleeing the scene on Belvidere Road in Waukegan Monday evening.
The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded before 7 p.m. Monday to the area of Belvidere Road and Dilger Avenue for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Officers arrived and found a pedestrian who had been struck by a vehicle on Belvidere Road east of Dilger Avenue near the Taco Bell.
It was determined that the male victim was unresponsive and not breathing, prosecutors said.
He was lying in the middle of Belvidere Road. Bystanders called 911 and stood by him in traffic to prevent him from being hit again.
The Waukegan Fire Department arrived and performed lifesaving measures, with the victim eventually beginning to breathe again and regain consciousness, prosecutors said.
A witness described the offending vehicle as an older model silver SUV, which drove eastbound, cut her off and then swerved to hit the victim before swerving back into eastbound traffic and fleeing the scene.
Prosecutors said a second witness followed the suspect vehicle and called 911, leading police to it.
Officers made contact with the driver and found her to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
The suspect battered multiple officers when they tried to take her into custody, prosecutors said. Charges are pending against her.
The victim and the suspect were in a relationship, prosecutors said. It is unclear whether she intentionally hit the man.
Maxine Gonzalez-Romero said the victim is a family friend of hers and he is from Waukegan. He is alive and recovering but in a lot of pain across his body. “… but we are happy he is alive!”
Gonzalez-Romero said the family is thankful for the people who got out of their cars and stood by him so he would not get hit again.