Lake County Sheriff's deputy injured in three-car crash near Mundelein

A Lake County Sheriff's deputy was injured and treated at a hospital after a three-car crash on Route 83 near Mundelein Friday, officials said Tuesday.

The officer was driving south on Route 83 north of the intersection with Creekwood Drive in an unincorporated area when his car was struck by a woman driving a Jeep Liberty at about 6:28 p.m., according to Lake County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sgt. Chris Covelli.

The woman had been driving in the northbound lanes of traffic. A driver in front of her had slowed to a stop and was waiting to turn into a driveway. Instead of slowing down and stopping her vehicle as well, the woman tried to turn left and go around the stopped cars in front of her, according to Covelli.

First, the woman struck the car in front of her, a Ford Mustang which was also heading northbound, then she swerved into oncoming traffic and struck the SUV being driven by the sheriff's deputy.

The crash did significant damage to the deputy's vehicle, but the officer, who was not identified, was able to leave the SUV on his own.

The deputy was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he received treatment. He was there for about six hours before being discharged, Covelli said.

Because the crash involved a sheriff's deputy, Mundelein Police offered to handle the crash investigation. Mundelein Police cited the woman with improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.