Funeral services are set for a Grayslake man, who was a “beloved” father of five, who died after fleeing from police in Round Lake Beach before slamming his truck into a pole Saturday.
An autopsy performed Monday showed that Hector Guzman, 39, of Grayslake, died as a result of complications of blunt force injuries as a result of a vehicle crash, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Round Lake Beach Police Department said a police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle, a white pickup truck, around 8:40 p.m. Saturday.
The stop occurred in the area of Cedar Lake Road just south of Rollins Road, according to Round Lake Beach Deputy Police Chief Tim Schuster.
The officer briefly pursued the vehicle but terminated the chase on Rollins Road approximately five blocks east of Cedar Lake Road and lost sight of the vehicle, which continued fleeing.
Another Round Lake Beach police officer came upon a single-vehicle crash moments later around 8:44 p.m.
The white pickup truck had crashed into a traffic light pole on the corner of Route 83 and Rollins Road.
The driver, later identified as Guzman, suffered critical injuries, Schuster said.
Officers reported Guzman was barely breathing and immediately began lifesaving measures.
The Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District responded to the scene, reported the truck had sustained heavy damage and transported Guzman to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The crash occurred approximately a mile from where the officer ended the traffic stop attempt, Schuster said.
Multiple witnesses told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the vehicle was driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed just before the crash.
The intersection of Route 83 and Rollins Road was partially closed for hours into early Sunday morning during the investigation and Mobile Eye was activated to assist with traffic control.
Schuster said the crash investigation is being handled by the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT), which responded to the scene.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the intensive care unit at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville a few hours later to take possession of Guzman for an autopsy, Banek said.
The roadway was reopened around 12:30 a.m. and police say the investigation remains active with no further information available for release.
Guzman was the father of five children and his family is now facing the “unexpected tragedy,” Beverley Guzman said.
A GoFundMe account has raised over $1,000 with a goal of $15,000 for the family’s expenses they have incurred.
“We ask for your help during this difficult time with medical and funeral expenses. Any contribution, no matter the amount, is deeply appreciated,” she said.
A celebration of life service is set for 4-8 p.m. Friday at Parkway Banquet in Ingleside and a mass is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Round Lake.
A burial will follow the mass at Avon Cemetery in Grayslake. A flyer for his services described him as a “beloved son, father, uncle, and friend.”