Cause Of Death Revealed For WI Father Who Went Missing After Crash In IL

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled on the cause of death for a 45-year-old Wisconsin man who was found dead in his car in a creek shortly after leaving a business dinner at a Crystal Lake restaurant.

Three weeks following the death of Benjamin Oberto, 45, the Cook County Medical Examiner's death has ruled that his death was caused by drowning due to operator of motor vehicle entering body of water, according to medical examiner's office officials.

The manner of his death has been ruled as an accident, according to the medical examiner's office.

Oberto was initially reported missing after leaving 1776 Restaurant in Crystal Lake on the night of November 13 and never returning to his home in New Berlin, Wisconsin.

Two days later, officers with the Rosemont Police Department found a Subaru Impreza with Wisconsin registration partially submerged in a creek at the bottom of an embankment on the curve of the Interstate 90 eastbound ramp to Interstate 294 northbound.

Divers with the police department found a body inside the vehicle, which was later identified as Oberto, according to police.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office did not release any details surrounding the cause of Oberto's death until this past week.

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