Carbon monoxide kills man in Libertyville

Libertyville police are investigating the death of a gas station employee who was overcome by carbon monoxide.

Police received a 911 call about 9:25 p.m. Sunday from an employee at the Peacock Mobil, 1060 E. Park Ave. Police found Philip Johnson, 44, of Lake Bluff, on the floor in a utility room for the car wash on the west side of the property.

Johnson was unresponsive and carried outside by officers before paramedics arrived, Police Chief Pat Carey said.

He was taken to Condell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about 11 a.m. Monday.

"He certainly did have a toxic carbon monoxide level," Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said. The carbon monoxide level was determined by a blood test.

An autopsy was scheduled for late Monday afternoon to determine if there were other contributing factors, Keller said.

"We believe the man was affected by carbon monoxide in that boiler room," Carey said. "We have no reason to suspect foul play."

Carey said Johnson apparently was not working on the boiler but was doing some other type of work in the room. The boiler was shut down, he added.

Keller said it was not unusual for carbon monoxide to cause unconsciousness and then death.

"It (carbon monoxide) damages certain areas of the brain," he said.