79-year-old dead after fleeing police, driving into Des Plaines River

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. — A 79-year-old driver was found dead Thursday night in the Des Plaines River and officers believe he fled from police.

Lake County deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 36500 block of North Route 41, located in unincorporated Gurnee, on the report of a truck submerged in the river.

Police said a homeowner arrived to his residence and located tire tracks in the yard. He followed the tire tracks, which led to the river, where he located a 2016 Toyota Tacoma.

When deputies ran the license plate of the Toyota, they determined it fled from a local police department approximately a mile and a half away from the scene on Wednesday night.

The vehicle was also called in as a wrong-way driver at around 3:40 a.m. Wednesday near the area of Route 173 and Kilbourne Road.

The driver was identified as a 79-year-old man from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. His name was not provided at this time.

Investigators said they’re working to determine the approximate timer of the crash and what caused it.