Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Buffalo Grove firefighters honored for rescuing victim trapped in car that went into frozen pond

Posted: 02 Apr 2022 04:35 PM PDT

Over a dozen firefighters with the Buffalo Grove Fire Department were recognized at a March 21 board meeting for their actions in rescuing a person whose car went into a Buffalo Grove pond in February. | Provided Photo

Buffalo Grove firefighters and paramedics were recently honored for saving the life of a driver who crashed their car into a frozen pond and became partially submerged in water.

Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Mike Baker said his department along with the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District responded around 6 a.m. on February 2 to 901 East Deerfield Parkway in Buffalo Grove.

A vehicle was partially submerged in a frozen pond, Baker said during a Buffalo Grove Village Board meeting last month.

Fire crews arrived and confirmed that a person was still inside the vehicle.

Rescuers found the victim, who was disoriented and suffering from hypothermia, partially submerged in water inside the vehicle.

Firefighter/paramedics Brian Potesta and Scott Renshaw helped remove the victim and place them in a rescue basket, Baker said.

The victim was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Baker said the victim made a full recovery and later returned home.

“The efforts and performance of all personnel involved resulted in the rescue of the victim. Without their interventions, expertise and timeliness, the outcome of the incident could have been tragic,” Baker said.

The department recognized Potesta and Renshaw, along with Battalion Chief Ron Two Bulls, Battalion Chief Shawn Collins, Acting Lt. Chad McCormick, Engineer Nick Wehrheim, Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Schroeder, Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Eaton, Acting Lt. Tyler Petersen, Engineer Joshua Himmelspach, Lt. Steve Rusin, Engineer Dennis Quill and Firefighter/Paramedic Kyle Dalton.

Sheriff’s task force arrests woman after finding nearly $60,000 worth of cocaine in Harvard

Posted: 02 Apr 2022 03:22 PM PDT

Johanna L. Gregg, 49, of Harvard.

A Harvard woman was arrested after a sheriff’s office task force found nearly $60,000 of cocaine stashed in two locations in McHenry County.

Johanna L. Gregg, 49, of the 0-100 block of North Ayer Street in Harvard, was charged with one count of possession of 400-900 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver, a Class X felony.

A motion filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said that the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force received information from a confidential informant.

The informant reported that Gregg was selling a large amount of cocaine out of her residence in Harvard, the motion said.

The informant also reported that the woman had drugs and money stashed at another apartment nearby.

A search warrant was served at Gregg’s residence on Wednesday and officers found cocaine and packaging materials.

Gregg told officers the other apartment location where she kept a safe, the motion said.

The safe was located and Gregg gave officers permission to search it.

A large amount of cocaine was found in the safe as well as a large sum of money, the motion said.

Between the two locations, officers seized almost 600 grams of cocaine, with a street value of approximately $59,400, and $11,000 in cash.

Officers arrested Gregg and transported her to the McHenry County Jail. She was ordered held on a $100,000 bond.

Gregg is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday.