Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Firefighters extinguish fully engulfed structure on abandoned property near Wauconda

Posted: 28 May 2022 02:35 PM PDT

Fire crews respond to a structure fire in the 27500 block of West Bonner Road in unincorporated Wauconda Friday evening. | Photo: Hector Matias

Fire officials are investigating after an outbuilding was found fully engulfed in flames on a property near Wauconda that has been vacant for years.

The Wauconda Fire District and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 9 p.m. Friday to the 27500 block of West Bonner Road in unincorporated Wauconda for a structure fire.

A person driving called 911 after spotting smoke and flames, according to Wauconda Fire District Division Chief and Deputy Fire Marshal Mike DaValle.

The 911 caller initially gave dispatchers a location of Route 176 and Darrell Road and was unsure of the exact area.

It was determined the fire was actually in the 27500 block of West Bonner Road.

Firefighters located an old chicken coop outbuilding that was approximately 15 feet by 15 feet in size, DaValle said.

The structure was well involved in flames and was approximately 75 feet away from the old house that sits on the property.

The structures on the property date back to the 1920s and the property has been abandoned for at least 10 years now, DaValle said.

Police and fire crews respond to a structure fire in the 27500 block of West Bonner Road in unincorporated Wauconda Friday evening. | Photo: Lake County Sheriff’s Office

Firefighters verified that no residents or pets were on the property.

The fire was extinguished using tank water from the fire engines as well as a water tender truck that was brought in by the Fox Lake Fire Protection District.

Approximately 3,500 gallons of water were used to extinguish the fire.

The Nunda-Rural Fire Protection District stood by at the scene with additional tender water that ended up not being used.

DaValle said the fire was extinguished quickly without incident and no injuries were reported.

The structure was a total loss with a damage estimate of $5,000. There was no damage to the adjacent residential farmhouse.

DaValle said the cause of the fire is currently undetermined and incendiary circumstances have not been ruled out.

The property was not receiving propane or electricity service and there were no witnesses except for the people passing by that called 911.

“The property involved is along a very secluded section of Bonner Road with no artificial lighting nearby. The property was not secured leading to the possibility that persons could have entered the property illegally,” DaValle said.

The incident remains under investigation by the Wauconda Fire District and Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Waukegan man ordered held without bond for shooting into occupied car during apparent road rage in McHenry

Posted: 28 May 2022 12:48 PM PDT

Juan A. Colon, 26, of Waukegan

A Waukegan man is being held without bond after prosecutors say he got out of a car and opened fire on another driver in broad daylight in a neighborhood near McHenry.

Juan A. Colon, 26, of the 1800 block of Grand Avenue in Waukegan, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, armed habitual criminal, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.

McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Maria Marek said in a petition filed Saturday that Colon was in the passenger seat of a black Lincoln SUV on April 24.

The Lincoln was being driven by Joseph W. Crisara III, 35, of Island Lake, in the area of River Road near Elmkirk Road in unincorporated McHenry.

The Lincoln began to pass another vehicle and someone inside the Lincoln threw a green bottle out of the vehicle.

The bottle struck a victim’s vehicle and the victim began traveling behind the Lincoln onto Black Patridge Road from River Road.

The Lincoln stopped in the roadway and Colon was reportedly captured on the victim’s dashcam exiting the Lincoln, Marek said.

Colon walked toward the victim’s driver’s side door, pulled a gun and discharged it towards the victim, Marek said.

The victim deployed pepper spray toward Colon and Colon retreated before allegedly discharging additional shots at the victim.

The incident occurred as a family was loading a U-Haul truck in close proximity to the shooting.

Marek said that the dashcam video “clearly” depicts Colon’s face and the image was compared to Secretary of State records.

Colon is also known to the Waukegan Police Department. A sergeant with the department positively identified Colon as the suspect in the video.

An arrest warrant was issued for Colon on April 28 and he was arrested by police on Friday.

Marek argued in the petition that allowing Colon to be released from custody would pose a “real and present threat” to the safety of others.

“The defendant’s actions demonstrate a complete disregard for the physical safety of the public and wanton callousness towards the value of human life,” Marek said.

Colon is a convicted felon after previously being convicted of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in a 2013 Lake County case and aggravated battery in a public place in a 2015 Lake County case. He also has numerous misdemeanor convictions.

Colon is being held in the McHenry County Jail without bond.

Joseph W. Crisara III, 35, of Island Lake.

Crisara, the getaway driver, was charged with obstructing justice, possession of psilocybin with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of psilocybin, possession of more than 2,000 grams of cannabis and possession of more than 2,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Crisara obstructed justice when he concealed physical evidence after the shooting.

He is accused of removing DNA material from the scene and assisted in removing the gun used and the suspect involved, the complaint said.

Crisara was arrested on April 27, records show. Police found him in possession of 2,000-5,000 grams of cannabis and more than 200 grams of a substance containing psilocybin, a complaint said.

Crisara was on parole after being released from the Illinois Department of Corrections in July 2021 after serving a sentence for drug-induced homicide in Lake County.

Colon is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday and Crisara is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday.

‘Our deputies are trained to immediately respond’: Lake County sheriff reacts to Texas school shooting

Posted: 28 May 2022 10:19 AM PDT

File Photo – Lake County Sheriff’s Office | Provided Photo

The Lake County sheriff said that his deputies have the “full authority” to move into an active shooter scene after questions have arisen from the police response to the Texas school shooting that left 19 children dead.

Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said in the statement issued Friday that the sheriff’s office has received many questions recently about how they would respond to an active shooter situation.

Idleburg said that deputies have the full authority to move immediately into the scene and utilize their training “to do what is necessary.”

“We want the community to know that during an active threat, our deputies are trained to immediately respond to the threat and take whatever actions are necessary to protect life,” he said.

“They train frequently, have the tools necessary to enter buildings in order to protect life, and understand their tremendous responsibility,” Idleburg added.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office also offers best practice and mitigation training to all schools and businesses in Lake County that wish to be trained.

“This is something we don't take lightly and we have an entire unit dedicated to this,” Idleburg said.

“Please continue keeping Uvalde in your thoughts and prayers. We're here for you, Lake County,” he said.

The shooting in Uvalde, Texas, happened at Robb Elementary School Tuesday morning.

 

An 18-year-old man, who was armed with two guns, entered the school and opened fire after crashing his car nearby.

At least 19 children and two teachers died, police said.

Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas | Photo: Google Street View

AP News reported that authorities acknowledged that students and teachers “repeatedly begged” 911 operators for help while the town’s police chief told more than a dozen officers to wait in a hallway at the school.

The gunman entered the school around 11:33 a.m. and was not shot and killed by police until 12:50 p.m. when officers entered the classroom, according to a timeline by CNN.

Multiple police officers were shot after exchanging gunfire with the suspect.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said he was “outraged, devastated, and utterly exhausted” for the families of Robb Elementary School.

“As we grieve with the Uvalde community, we must continue our work toward ending the gun violence epidemic in our country. We must do it now. No more prayers without action,” Pritzker said.

“For the second time in just a few days, I am grieving with a community that has lost their sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters due to senseless gun violence,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.

“For the second time in just a few days, I once again state firmly and strongly that thoughts and prayers are not – and have never been – enough to stem the epidemic of gun violence that has gripped our country,” Rinehart said.

“Everyone deserves to be safe in their community, and once again, our society has failed the 14 children and 1 teacher murdered in Texas today. Their loved ones should not be screaming into the void, they should be comforted by action,” he added.

Rinehart called for legislation at the federal level to “stop this once and for all.”

Coroner identifies 38-year-old man killed in motorcycle crash with two cars in Lakemoor

Posted: 28 May 2022 08:04 AM PDT

Anthony Wasser, 38, of Fox Lake, (pictured) died early Friday morning following a three-vehicle crash on Route 120 near Volo Village Road in Lakemoor Thursday evening. | Photo via Facebook

Authorities have released the identity of a Fox Lake man who died after losing control of his motorcycle and crashing on Route 120 in Lakemoor Thursday evening.

An autopsy performed Friday showed that Anthony Wasser, 38, of Fox Lake, died as a result of blunt force injuries, according to Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton.

The Lakemoor Police Department, Fox Lake Fire Protection District and Wauconda Fire District responded around 8:49 p.m. Thursday to Route 120 and West Volo Village Road for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.

Lakemoor Police Officer Kevin Lyons said officers arrived to find a motorcycle and two vehicles involved.

An investigation showed the motorcycle was traveling eastbound on Route 120 approaching the intersection at West Volo Village Road.

One person died after a motorcycle crossed over from the eastbound lanes of Route 120 into the westbound lanes of Route 120 near Volo Village Road in Lakemoor and hit two vehicles Thursday evening. | Photo: Google Street View

The motorcycle, without warning, veered left and struck the curb, Lyons said.

The motorcycle crossed over the median and went into oncoming traffic.

The motorcycle then struck two vehicles before coming to a rest in the westbound lanes of Route 120, Lyons said.

Citizens who saw the crash stopped to render aid and comfort the motorcycle driver, later identified as Wasser, while awaiting first responders, Lyons said.

Lyons said Wasser was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Wasser was pronounced dead around 4 a.m. Friday at the hospital.

The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was requested to assist the Lakemoor Police Department in the crash investigation.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Deputy Unit assisted with traffic control while Route 120 was shut down.

A witness to the crash told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the motorcycle was traveling recklessly and at a high rate of speed just prior to the crash.