Dawn Patrol: Fatal hit-and-run suspect in custody; search on for boy

Police: Fatal hit-and-run suspect confesses to victim's sister

Nearly four years after a 20-year-old Joliet woman was killed in a hit-and-run accident, a Naperville man knocked on the woman's sister's door and admitted he was the driver, police say. David H. McCarthy IV, 27, is being held on $1 million bail in the 2008 crash that killed Melissa Lech. McCarthy visited Michelle Lech's home Sunday morning and was later arrested at his Naperville home. Full story.

Naperville police searching for boy seen with suspicious man near woods

Naperville police searched late into last night for a boy who was spotted by two witnesses headed toward a wooded area with a suspicious-looking man. Two residents near Country Lake Park saw the boy with the man who was wearing a knee-length coat, dark pants, a black hat and gloves and called police when they lost sight of the boy. Police found an abandoned bicycle where the boy was last seen at about 4:50 p.m. Full story.

Black boxes reveal details of suburban crashes

There wasn't much left of a 2008 Dodge Charger after a crash on Ogden Avenue last month. But one piece of the rubble confirmed what Naperville police suspected: the car was traveling really fast. In fact, they say, it was doing 142 mph when it hit a curb and went airborne. The driver's speed just before impact was captured by an event data recorder, similar to “black boxes” found on commercial airliners. Full story.

Hazardous material fills portion of Sherman Hospital

Hundreds of gallons of a flammable chemical mixed with water filled a portion of Sherman Hospital yesterday. The section will be closed for a number of weeks during repairs. The geothermal lake behind the hospital is used to heat and cool the hospital, but a pipe burst in the lower level. “Even though the room was being ventilated, there was an outside chance the atmosphere could be conducive to lighting if there was a spark,” said Elgin Assistant Fire Chief Dave Schmidt. Full story.

U-46 contract dispute to go to mediator

Elgin Area District U-46 and the teachers union will bring in a mediator to settle contract negotiations that have lasted more than nine months. Teachers have been working under an extension to the 2007-2010 contract. The mediator will act as a go-between to help reach a settlement but will not draft solutions. Full story.

Off-track betting may come to Prospect Hts.

Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer predicted last night an off-track betting operation from Buffalo Grove will be under construction in his city in about a month. The city council is expected to vote in two weeks on an ordinance that would make such a facility legal in the city. Hawthorne Race Course has applied for a special use permit to build an OTB at Players Pub and Grill, 1250 S. River Road, and the council seemed receptive to the business. Hawthorne is also seeking to relocate its Buffalo Grove OTB to the Village Bar & Grill at the golf course that Buffalo Grove owns. Full story.

Pay trash bill or lose water service in Hoffman Estates

Hoffman Estates residents whose garbage pickup bills are more than 150 days late risk having their water turned off. Any bill that late will be handed over from Groot Industries to the village, which will result in the balance being placed on their water bill. Village officials said the move will be used sparingly “for those (residents) who refuse to pay.” Full story.

Weather

A decent day on tap today. It'll start out being mostly cloudy with temperatures of about 27 degrees, but those temps will rise to about 44 degrees later this afternoon. Rain will fall tonight as temperatures dip into the upper 30s, before warm weather moves in tomorrow and temperatures raises to 55 degrees. Full weather.

Traffic

Highways are congested, but not as bad as it can be. A right lane is blocked on the Tri-State Tollway near the I-88 interchange due to a crash near Oakbrook Terrace, while the intersection of Howard Street and Skokie Blvd. in Skokie is blocked due to a second accident. Motorists should avoid construction delays on Glenview and Greenwood avenues in Glenview, and reconstruction of Walkup Drive between Route 176 and Burning Bush Drive in Crystal Lake. Full traffic. Full traffic.

Kenseth wins Daytona 500 delayed by rain, fire

For the first time in 54 years, the race was delayed by rain, but that didn't stop Matt Kenseth from claiming his second win. Kenseth beat out Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a race that was first delayed a day by weather and then delayed by two hours after a safety truck caught fire on the track. The race, which had some fits and starts, was the first to be broadcast in prime time. Full story.

Hawks trade for defenseman, lose Scott at deadline

The Blackhawks desperately needed a top-four defenseman and/or a second-line center heading into the trade deadline, but they ended up with a veteran who will likely play in the third defensive pairing. Johnny Oduya from the Winnipeg Jets will hopefully log substantial minutes to take the load off the top pair. Oduya had 2 goals and 11 assists and was minus-9 in 63 games this year. The Hawks traded enforcer John Scott to the New York Rangers for fifth round pick. Full story.