Crystal Lake motorcyclist injured after high-speed chase

A motorcyclist was injured Tuesday night during a high-speed chase with police in Crystal Lake, authorities said.

Officials said in a news release an officer was at the intersection of Rakow and Virginia roads at 11:22 p.m. Tuesday when Mark A. Schlarb, 34, of the 1000 block of Sandlewood Drive in Crystal Lake, and a second man were clocked riding motorcycles west at 80 mph in a 45 mph zone, prompting the officer to chase them onto westbound Rakow.

However, the bikers accelerated, authorities said, passing other vehicles.

The officer continued following them, merging onto Randall Road and then turning onto Ackman Road and onto Amberwood Drive, authorities said, where the second man split from Schlarb. The officer decided to continue pursuing Schlarb, authorities said.

Throughout the twists and turns, Schlarb accelerated and often zoomed out of the vision of the officer, authorities said.

After turning onto Amberwood, the officer lost visual contact with Schlarb for a moment, but saw him and his motorcycle lying in the roadway in the 1300 block of Amberwood, authorities said.

The officer called for an ambulance and tried to give first aid to the motorcyclist, authorities said.

Paramedics took Schlarb to Centegra Hospital - Woodstock, after which he was airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with life-threatening injuries. He was listed in fair condition later this afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

The preliminary investigation revealed Schlarb was riding his bike while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, authorities said in the news release.

They added the second offender has been identified, but police are not releasing the name pending his arrest and further investigation.