Lake County Deputies Revive Unconscious, Opioid-Overdosed Driver Cruising Route 41

LAKE COUNTY, IL - Deputies revived an unresponsive driver Tuesday after he overdosed on opioids while cruising down Route 41, where he caused an accident and a bit of commotion.

Lake County Sheriff's deputies were called just after midnight on Tuesday to Route 41 and Searns School Road in unincorporated Gurnee for a report of a reckless driver. A witness following the driver of a Dodge Charger who was northbound on Route 41 said he was unable to stay in his lane.

"On several occasions, the driver struck the concrete median, which divides the northbound and southbound lanes of traffic," police said. "The tires on the Dodge became badly damaged, but the driver continued driving northbound on the rims of the vehicle."

The driver continued, striking another vehicle near Route 41 and Wadsworth Road. Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Plichta and Deputy J.R. Halek caught up with the suspect, later identified only as a 54-year-old Waukegan man, about 1 mile south of Route 173 in Newport Township.

They found the man unresponsive inside the vehicle and managed to place the vehicle into park. Plichta and Halek swiftly determined that the driver was likely experiencing an opioid overdose and administered three doses of Naloxone. The man then regained consciousness and was taken to a local hospital, authorities said.

The man will be charged with Driving Under the Influence and other traffic-related offenses upon his release from medical care.