A sheriff’s deputy was not cited after the deputy and a prisoner were injured when a Lake County sheriff’s squad car crashed into a pole near Woodstock, attributed to wet road conditions.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:59 p.m. on May 4 to the area of Charles Road and Timberline Trail in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a vehicle crash.
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said fire crews arrived and located a single-vehicle crash on the north side of the roadway.
The crash involved a Lake County Sheriff’s Office squad car that had left the roadway and struck a large utility pole.
Fire crews reported heavy damage to the police car.
The sheriff’s deputy and a passenger were evaluated at the scene by paramedics, Vucha said.
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Communication Specialist Emily Matusek-Baker said the passenger was an inmate.
Both of them were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, Vucha said.
Vucha said ComEd was requested to the scene to evaluate and coordinate repairs due to the extent of damage to the pole.
Charles Road was shut down in both directions during the incident.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office deferred comment on the matter to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
Matusek-Baker said an investigation showed the squad car left the roadway after entering the gravel shoulder.
Wet conditions contributed to the vehicle traveling into the ditch and striking the pole prior to coming to rest, she said.
Matusek-Baker said no citations were issued to the deputy.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said the agency’s accident review board will assess at the board level to determine internal contributors to the crash and recommend remediations.