Coroner IDs Man Who Died After Suffering Medical Emergency On Theater Roof

By Sam Borcia, Lake & McHenry County Scanner

The coroner’s office has identified a 59-year-old contractor who died after he suffered a medical emergency and had to be rescued from the roof of a theater in downtown Antioch.

A preliminary autopsy showed that Daniel Ruckoldt, 59, of Salem, Wisconsin, likely died from a cardiac issue, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office.

The Antioch Police Department and Antioch Fire Department responded around 10:56 a.m. Thursday to the PM&L Theatre, 877 Main Street in Antioch.

Antioch Fire Chief Jon Cokefair said it was reported that a person was not breathing on the roof of the building.

Firefighters arrived on the scene in two minutes and confirmed that there was a male, later identified as Ruckoldt, on a roof three stories above ground.

Ruckoldt was not breathing and was pulseless. It was unclear how long the man had been down, Cokefair said.

Paramedics immediately began resuscitative efforts on the roof while additional fire crews prepared to remove him.

Firefighters used the department’s aerial ladder truck to lower Ruckoldt, who was placed in a stokes basket, to the ground.

Cokefair said paramedics continued the resuscitative efforts and transported the man to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Ruckoldt was pronounced dead in the emergency room after arriving.

Cokefair said Ruckoldt was believed to have been working as a contractor on the HVAC system.

He suffered a medical emergency while on the roof, which caused to him to stop breathing, Cokefair said.

The coroner’s office performed an autopsy on Ruckoldt on Thursday and toxicology results are pending.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.