Fleeing Winthrop Harbor Girl Runs Over Waukegan Man: Sheriff's Office

WAUKEGAN, IL — A 17-year-old Winthrop Harbor motorist fled the scene of a minor traffic crash with a man clinging to the hood of her car Monday — then ran him over in front of a sheriff's deputy who was trying to pull her over, according to the sheriff's office.

The driver faces a juvenile court charge of leaving the scene of an injury crash. She also faces one count of criminal damage to property for damaging the ceiling of an interview room at the sheriff's office, Deputy Chief Chris Covelli told Patch.

Investigators believe the teen was initially involved in a minor hit-and-run crash in the parking lot of a social club on Sheridan Road, Covelli said.

As she began to flee, a 19-year-old Waukegan man attempted to intervene, according to the preliminary results of the investigation. But to avoid being struck by the Winthrop Harbor girl's 2004 Toyota Camry, he "had no choice" but to jump onto the hood, according to a sheriff's office release.

A sheriff's deputy on patrol near Sheridan and Yorkhouse Road first spotted the Toyota and another car speeding away from the club around 1:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's office. The deputy noticed the man, who was waving at the deputy for help, on the hood of the Toyota.

The deputy tried to pull the Toyota over, but its driver continued to flee. Meanwhile, the driver of the other car passed the squad car and pulled up alongside it, with the Waukegan man still on its hood.

The Winthrop Harbor girl "swerved and abruptly stopped," causing the Waukegan man to fall off of the car's hood, according to the release. "The driver of the Toyota then ran the victim over, before again fleeing."

After witnessing the car running over the man on North Avenue, north of Yorkhouse Road, the deputy stayed to provide aid, according to the spokesperson. The driver of the other car chasing the Toyota called in updated locations to dispatchers.

A deputy later spotted the Toyota headed south on Interstate 94 and began a pursuit, according to the sheriff's office Sheriff's deputies were joined by Illinois State Police troopers Eventually, a deputy was able to deploy the tire-deflation device Stop Sticks to stop the teen's Toyota, which was immobilized near Rosemont.

The Waukegan man was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville to be treated for critical, life-threatening injuries, according to the sheriff's office. The two passengers in the Toyota Camry were released without charges.