A Lake Forest police officer is in critical condition after being severely injured while on vacation and his family is working to raise money to have him brought home from Nicaragua by medical transport. Lake Forest Police Officer Filip Czarnecki was on a personal vacation visiting family in Nicaragua. Czarnecki suffered a “tragic fall” onto […]
Sam Borcia
Sam Borcia is the CEO and Publisher of Lake and McHenry County Scanner based in Gurnee, Illinois. His focus is reporting on local news covering crime, government, traffic and more around Lake County, Illinois and McHenry County, Illinois. Sam founded Lake and McHenry County Scanner in January 2012 and has extensive experience covering news. His reporting has garnered coverage by major national and international outlets. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago. You can get in touch with Sam by emailing sborcia@lakemchenryscanner.com.
Posted inLake County
3 hospitalized after drunk driver slams into another car, leaving 1 unconscious and vehicle in water in Lake Zurich
Three people were hospitalized after a drunk driver slammed into another car, causing the vehicle to drive into a pond and leaving one person unconscious, in front of the Costco in Lake Zurich Saturday. The Lake Zurich Police Department and Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department responded around 1:30 p.m. Saturday to the area of Costco, […]
Posted inLake County
Man in his 20s in critical condition after being shot multiple times at apartment complex in Park City
A man in his 20s was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being found shot multiple times at an apartment complex in Park City Friday evening, authorities said. The Gurnee Fire Department and Park City Police Department responded around 7:25 p.m. Friday to the 3300 block of Patricia Lane in Park City for […]
Posted inMcHenry County
Marengo man accused of putting his hands around woman’s neck outside bar, kicking paramedic in face
A 42-year-old man allegedly put his hands around the neck of a woman, whom he did not know, outside a bar in Marengo and then later kicked a paramedic in the face, police said. The Marengo Police Department responded around 12:30 a.m. on August 30 to Sam’s Tavern, 101 South State Street in Marengo, for […]
Posted inLake County
Multiple fire departments respond after hydrogen tank catches fire while outgassing at manufacturing plant in Gurnee
Multiple fire departments were called after a hydrogen tank that was outgassing ignited and caught fire at a manufacturing plant in Gurnee Friday evening, fire officials said. The Gurnee Fire Department and Gurnee Police Department responded around 8:22 p.m. Friday to the area of Route 41 and Estes Avenue in Gurnee for a report of […]
Posted inLake County
‘Justice for survivors’: 18 years in prison for Libertyville man who distributed sexual abuse material of young children
A Libertyville man was sentenced to 18 years in prison after the state attorney general charged him with serious felonies for distributing and possessing sexual abuse material of young children. The Illinois Attorney General’s office charged Kyle Ranallo, 27, of Libertyville, in May 2025 with six counts of dissemination of child pornography, a Class X […]
Posted inLake County
Man dies in hospital after being found in garage fire with severe burn injuries in Lincolnshire
A 56-year-old man has died in the hospital after he was discovered inside a garage fire with apparent serious burn injuries in Lincolnshire Wednesday afternoon. The Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District and Lincolnshire Police Department responded around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday to the 200 block of Pembroke Lane in Lincolnshire for a report of a structure fire. Fire […]
Posted inMcHenry County
College board chairman resigns after arrest on drug charge in McHenry County draws ‘deep concern’
Officials announced that a college board chairman, who is the brother of Rosemont’s mayor, has resigned from his position but remains a trustee after he was arrested on drug charges in McHenry County. Triton College said in a statement Saturday that Mark R. Stephens stepped down as Chairman of the Triton College Board of Trustees on […]
Posted inLake County
‘Never should have happened’: Doggy daycare responds after death of Deerfield family’s dog forgotten in company van
A doggy daycare has broken its silence and responded, saying they remain open but are taking the situation “seriously,” after a Deerfield family’s 6-year-old dog died when it was left inside the company’s van all day. Waggles Pet Resort in Wheeling told Lake and McHenry County Scanner in a statement Saturday that they were “heartbroken” […]