Driver claims last memory before striking Lake County sheriff's deputy was opening a beer

WAUKEGAN, Ill. - A Lake County sheriff's deputy was seriously injured after striking a pickup truck that blew through a stop sign Sunday in north suburban Waukegan.

Authorities were responding to a call of a battery in progress around 6:10 p.m. near Green Bay Road and Wadsworth Road in Beach Park, according to the Lake County sheriff's office.

On the way there, a deputy driving south on Lewis Avenue hit a Chevrolet pickup truck that was traveling eastbound on Edgewood Road, the sheriff's office said.

According to officials, the 59-year-old driver of the truck did not stop at a stop sign and drove directly into the path of the deputy. The deputy attempted to swerve into northbound lanes to avoid a collision, but struck the pickup's driver's side.

(Lake County sheriff's office)

The deputy was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center where she remains hospitalized with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said.

The driver of the pickup truck, from North Chicago, was taken to Vista Medical Center in Waukegan with injuries not considered life-threatening, officials said.

He allegedly told authorities the last thing he remembered before the crash was opening a beer, the sheriff's office said.

(Lake County sheriff's office)

"One of our sheriff’s deputies was seriously injured in a crash because a thoughtless individual felt it was more important to drink a beer while driving, putting everyone on the roadway at risk, instead of driving safe," said Sheriff John Idleburg. "We say it time and time again, don’t drink and drive.  We are all wishing our deputy a speedy recovery."

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Waukegan police are investigating the crash and charges were pending.