Police: Driver wanted in deadly Lake County crash arrested trying to flee country
A Round Lake Beach man wanted in connection with a crash that killed two women was arrested aboard a bus over the weekend as he attempted to flee the country, Lake County authorities said Tuesday.
Victor H. Ortiz, 51, of the 1400 block of Kildeer Drive, faces four counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and two counts of reckless homicide stemming from the June 8 crash in Fremont Township. He was in custody at the Cook County jail Tuesday awaiting extradition to Lake County, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities say Ortiz was behind the wheel of a Ford E350 van at about 9:05 p.m. June 8 when it crossed into oncoming traffic along Fairfield Road north of Route 60 and collided with Honda Odyssey minivan and Kia Forte.
The collision killed the Kia's driver, Barbara Gaulke, 56, of Ingleside, and passenger, Sandra Forscht, 64, of Round Lake, authorities said. Ortiz and the driver of the Honda, a 42-year-old Hainesville man, suffered nonlife-threatening injuries, according to police.
Sheriff's police said investigators on Friday obtained results of blood/urine testing of Ortiz that show he was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. They later received a tip that Ortiz was intending to flee to Guatemala.
After obtaining a $500,000 arrest warrant, investigators received information that Ortiz boarded a charter bus Saturday in Chicago that was destined for Texas and eventually Guatemala. A short time later, Chicago police tactical officers located the bus in the area of I-57 and West 111th Street in the city, pulled it over and took Ortiz into custody, the sheriff's office reported.
“Because of the thorough and fast investigation conducted by sheriff's crash investigators along with the terrific assistance provided by Chicago Police 010TH District Tactical Officers, we took an offender who killed two people — because he was driving drunk — into custody, before he could flee from the country,” Sheriff John Idleburg said in an announcement of the arrest. “I'm pleased the first step of justice was served for the families of the victims, which was possible because of strong law-enforcement collaboration.”
If convicted of aggravated driving under the influence, Ortiz would face up to 28 years in prison.