WLIP Voice of Lake County 2/11/19

ID’s Made in Waukegan Fatalities

Vander Tuuk 2-11-19

(Waukegan, IL) Identities have been made on three people involved in separate fatal incidents in Waukegan, The Lake County Coroner’s Office says 28-year-old Joshua Cervantes was killed by sharp force trauma. Cervantes was one of two people stabbed on February 3rd when a house party turned into a large fight, the other victim survived. 35-year-old Asuncion Gomez-Guerrero was also killed on February 3rd, after he allegedly attempted to hit a Waukegan Police officer with his vehicle, and was shot by that officer. The 3rd victim, identified as 22-year-old Christopher Harris, was killed in a fatal hit and run on February 4th. All three deaths remain under investigation.

Fatal Wadsworth Crash

Vander Tuuk 2-11-19

(Wadsworth, IL) Lake County Sheriff’s officials say a head on collision killed one person in Wadsworth over the weekend. The incident took place on Saturday night on Delany Road near Wadsworth Road, when a vehicle being driven by a 17-year-old Zion girl reportedly crossed the center line, striking a vehicle being driven by a 55-year-old Beach Park man. That man was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. His passenger, a 32-year-old male was hospitalized with serious injuries, as was the 17-year-old. A 3rd vehicle with damage was located at a gas station nearby, but it’s role in the incident is currently unknown. The matter remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit.

Ingleside Shooting

Vander Tuuk 2-11-19

(Ingleside, IL) An investigation has been launched after two people were shot inside a home in Ingleside. Lake County Sheriff’s officials say they were called early on Saturday morning to the 34-thousand block of North Gerberding Avenue on a shots fired call. When they arrived they learned that two masked males had entered the home demanding money. At least one of the suspects then fired, striking both a 27 and 25-year-old man…both of which were said to be guests at the residence. Those victims were able to get to the hospital on their own, and their injuries are considered non-life-threatening. The investigation is said to be ongoing, and at this point no arrests have been made. Anyone with more information is being encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office or the Lake County Crimestoppers.

Dax K-9 Of The Year

Vander Tuuk 2-11-19

(Waukegan, IL) A Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 has been voted as K-9 of the year. Deputy John Forlenza and his K-9 partner Dax were entered into the K9s of Valor Foundation competition with close to 100 other’s from across the country…and was eventually voted as the top dog. K9s of Valor is an all volunteer, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support police K9 officers across the country and keep them safe, by donating lifesaving equipment. Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg says Dax and the three other K-9’s in the department do great work either tracking suspects, finding endangered persons, or showing off their skills at community events.

Pritzker: Illinois budget deficit higher than estimated

Associated Press 2-11-19

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration estimates Illinois faces a more-than $3 billion deficit in its next budget year. A report by the Democrat indicates the June 2020 shortfall will be 16 percent higher than former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration estimated without more revenue or cuts. The report came less than two weeks before Pritzker proposes his first budget. The report notes that debt associated with the state’s unpaid-bill backlog sits at $15 billion and it blames Rauner’s stubbornness for hundreds of millions of dollars in penalty and otherwise unanticipated bills. Rauner had a hand in a two-year spending dispute with Democrats which led to billions of dollars in overspending. But Democrats have virtually controlled the entire budget process since approving an income-tax increase in July 2017 over Rauner’s objections.