Coroner Identifies 82-Year-Old Killed In Volo Crash

VOLO, IL — Authorities have identified the 82-year-old man killed in a car crash Monday in Volo. Leroy Radtke, of Lake Zurich, was driving on Route 12 when, for unknown reasons, he crossed into oncoming traffic. Subsequently, as authorities investigated the crash, a man they accuse of driving under the influence hit a squad car, causing serious injury to a deputy.

A release from the sheriff's office said soon before 6 p.m. Monday, Radtke was driving a Mazda south on Route 12 towards Volo Village Road when he crossed into oncoming traffic for unknown reasons. He hit another car, a Toyota, driven by a 20-year-old Lake in the Hills man.

The Toyota spun into the southbound lane in the path of a Subaru, driven by a 27-year-old McHenry man, which hit the Toyota.

Radtke was pronounced dead at the scene, the release says. An autopsy performed on Thursday afternoon revealed he was killed by blunt force trauma sustained in the collision. Toxicology results are pending.

"We have been in close contact with Mr. Radtke’s family and our deepest condolences go out to them during this difficult time. This is truly a tragedy," Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said in a release.

The 20-year-old man was taken to Advocate Condell Medical center with serious injuries. The 27-year-old was uninjured.

While police were investigating the scene of the crash, they had set up traffic cones, flares and a squad car with its emergency lights on to alert drivers the roadway was closed. Regardless, the release says, a Mundelein man crashed into the squad car around 7 p.m.

Chris Miller, 65, is accused of "disregarding" the cones and flares and hitting the police car, which then hit the auxiliary deputy standing outside it. That deputy had serious leg injuries, the release says.

Miller then sped off in the pick up truck he was driving, but it became disabled in Lakemoor, likely due to the damage caused in the accident, the release says.

Authorities caught up with Miller and arrested him on charges of:

• Felony aggravated DUI involving an accident with injuries
• Felony leaving the scene of an accident with injuries
• Felony operation of a vehicle on approach of an emergency vehicle causing injuries
• Misdemeanor DUI
• Operating an uninsured vehicle
• Improper lane usage
• Failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident
• Failure to report an accident
• Failure to give aid following an accident

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit is investigating the crash.

Miller is being held at the Lake County Jail pending a court hearing.

"While I’m thankful our auxiliary deputy wasn’t killed or critically injured, I am very disappointed a drunk driver crashed into a scene we were working to keep secure, and injured one of our personnel," Sheriff John Idleburg said in the release. "Then, rather than do the right thing and stop to see if the auxiliary deputy was okay, he fled. Driving under the influence is unacceptable to begin with, crashing into an emergency vehicle while intoxicated, then fleeing, is downright inexcusable."