A Lake Villa man will not face jail time after pleading guilty to causing a motorcycle crash that killed a Lindenhurst woman, who was a mother of several children, near Antioch.
Gregory Shaer, 53, of Lake Villa, was initially charged in September 2024 with aggravated driving under the influence resulting in great bodily harm, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving in the wrong lane of traffic.
He was later additionally charged with aggravated driving under the influence causing a crash involving death and reckless homicide.
The charges stem from a vehicle crash that occurred around 8:30 p.m. on August 31, 2024, on Route 59 north of Diemer Street in unincorporated Antioch.
Responding rescue crews were informed that a motorcycle had crashed and one person was on the ground so crews requested a medical helicopter to be put on standby, according to emergency radio traffic.
Sheriff’s deputies and rescue personnel arrived and found a 1998 Harley-Davidson motorcycle involved in the crash and a woman unconscious in the roadway, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said at the time.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the woman as Mechelle Hall, 48, of Lindenhurst.
Bystanders, including an off-duty paramedic, were rendering aid to Hall and assisting fire crews, Antioch Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Taylor said.
Due to the severity of Hall’s injuries, a Flight For Life medical helicopter based out of Burlington, Wisconsin, was requested to the scene.
Fire crews set up a landing zone near Route 59 and Grass Lake Road, Taylor said.
Hall, who was the passenger of the motorcycle, had life-threatening injuries and was flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in critical condition.
Shaer was driving the motorcycle and suffered only minor injuries, Covelli said.
Shaer initially told deputies that he was traveling southbound on Route 59 and swerved to avoid hitting a vehicle that turned in front of him, which caused him to lose control of the motorcycle.
Sheriff’s deputies later located a 33-year-old Antioch woman who said she was traveling northbound on Route 59 in her GMC Acadia when she was sideswiped by the southbound Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
“The driver of the GMC said Shaer swerved into her lane of traffic and sideswiped her vehicle. Evidence was located at the scene consistent with the statement from the driver of the GMC,” Covelli said.
Shaer, who was standing at the scene, allegedly showed signs of alcohol impairment.
He was arrested but refused to provide a breath, blood or urine sample for analysis, Covelli said.
A search warrant was drafted for the samples and a judge signed and approved the search warrant.
Shaer was transported to a local hospital where the samples were obtained and sent to a crime laboratory for analysis, Covelli said.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said that deputies smelled a strong odor of alcohol from Shaer’s breath.
Shaer admitted to drinking four beers prior to driving his motorcycle and exhibited signs of intoxication while performing field sobriety tests, Theis said. Court records said it was his third driving under the influence offense.
Hall was intubated at the hospital and had a brain bleed, punctured lung and broken collarbone, Theis said.
Banek said that the woman died in the hospital on September 4, 2024, from her injuries.
“Shelly’s kids were always closest to her heart and her number one priority,” Lake Villa resident Kristin Stone, who was a close friend of Hall, said.
Stone described Hall — who was a mother of several children, including her youngest, a teenage boy — as having “impulsivity” and “intense love.” She also said those who knew Hall will miss her.
Court records show Shaer, who was initially ordered detained after his arrest but in October 2024 released from custody, entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office last month.
He pleaded guilty to an amended count of reckless conduct causing bodily harm, a Class A misdemeanor, in exchange for all of his felony charges, which carry prison time, being dismissed.
Shaer was sentenced to 12 months of conditional discharge, which is a lesser version of probation, and ordered not to consume any illegal drugs or alcohol. He was also ordered to pay
A jury trial that was set for March 9 was stricken after the plea deal was accepted by a Lake County judge.