Lake County Sheriff’s Crash Investigators are investigating a Christmas Eve crash in an unoccupied house that left a male passenger dead, and another passenger and the driver seriously injured.
Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded about 7:25 p.m., Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at approximately 7:25 p.m., to reports that a vehicle crashed into a home in the block of 21300 West Engle Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located a Jeep crashed into a home with major damage.
A 22-year-old man of Round Lake Beach, who was sitting in the front seat of the Jeep, was critically injured and subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene. Another 22-year-old man of Round Lake Beach, who was sitting in one of the back seats, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment. The driver of the Jeep also sustained serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
A preliminary investigation shows the driver of the Jeep, Marcos Corona-Vargas, 31, of the block of 1600 block of East End Avenue, Round Lake Beach, was traveling eastbound on West Engle Drive. According to witnesses, Marcos Corona-Vargas crossed into the westbound lane of traffic and then back into the eastbound lane. Marcos-Vargas then drove off the roadway on the south side of the road, into a yard, and slammed the Jeep into a home.
Fortunately, the home was unoccupied at the time of the crash.
Lake County Sheriff’s traffic crash investigators determined Corona-Vargas was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the initial facts of the incident and approved the charges of reckless homicide and DUI against Corona-Vargas. Upon the completion of his medical treatment, he will be released into the custody of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Lake County Jail.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and an autopsy on the deceased passenger is being scheduled. The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team.
West Engle Drive (County Highway 55) is a two-way highway with a double-yellow line and an asphalt shoulder. The Speed Limit was posted 30 MPH with an electronic speed alert device, according to Google Maps street view images captured in September 2024. The crash scene was located near Venetian Village and Fourth Lake east of Milwaukee Avenue (Route 83) in southeast Lake Village Township.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
— Lake County Sheriff’s Office
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