Illinois man charged after police chase through Chicago suburb

GURNEE, Ill. - A 34-year-old man is accused of causing a string of crashes while driving erratically and impaired in Chicago’s northern suburbs on Tuesday.

What we know:

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called around 5:50 p.m. about a possible intoxicated driver who had hit a car near a gas station in the 36000 block of Grandwood Drive in unincorporated Gurnee and then took off.

Moments later, the same man reportedly hit another vehicle in the gas station parking lot before fleeing again. Witnesses told deputies the man was driving erratically and appeared to be bleeding.

A deputy spotted the suspect’s vehicle and tried to pull him over, but the driver didn’t stop. Instead, deputies say he kept driving recklessly, leading them on a chase across several roads. At one point, near Stearns School Road and Hunt Club Road, the man sideswiped two vehicles, causing minor injuries to one of the drivers.

Deputies briefly cornered him in traffic near Hunt Club Road and Grand Avenue and tried to get into his car, but the driver sped away again once traffic cleared.

The pursuit continued along Route 21. As deputies prepared to use spike strips, they say the man—who was heading southbound—ran a red light at Gages Lake Road and T-boned a vehicle turning left. Four people inside—including two children—were hurt but are expected to recover.

The suspect then hit another car going north on Route 21, injuring that driver as well.

Deputies eventually stopped the suspect's vehicle by using a squad car to disable it. The man was then taken into custody.

The suspect and the victims were all taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Wednesday update:

The suspect was identified as Reno J. Giangiorgi of unincorporated Gurnee. He's been charged with aggravated DUI, two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, and multiple traffic infractions. Additional charges are likely, officials said.

Giangiorgi is being held at the Lake County Jail pending his first court appearance on Wednesday. The Lake County State's Attorney's Office plans to ask the judge to keep him detained while awaiting trial.