Condition Stabilizes For Driver Accused Of Causing Fatal Crash: Police

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Lake County Coroner's Office has identified the 73-year-old Ingleside man killed in a collision after the vehicle he was driving was hit head-on by a vehicle swerving and crossing the center line on Route 59 near Route 132 Friday night.

George Giannakakis died from blunt force injuries as a result of a crash, according to preliminary autopsy results released Tuesday. Meanwhile, the condition of a 74-year-old man accused of causing the crash has improved from critical to stable condition, authorities said Tuesday.

Impairment is believed to be a factor in the crash that took place at 9:50 p.m. on Friday on Route 59 just south of Route 132, police said. On Tuesday, Lake County Sheriff's Office deputy chief Christopher Covelli told Patch an investigation into the collision is ongoing, and no charges have been filed at this point.

"Crash investigators continue with their investigation," Covelli said. "The investigation is likely to take weeks to months, as is very normal when a crash involves a fatality or critical injury."

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the 74-year-old man from unincorporated Lake Villa was driving a GMC Arcadia when the vehicle veered into the southbound lane and struck a Kia Sorrento driven by the other man, police said. Both drivers were initially taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with critical injuries.

Giannakakis was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. As of Tuesday morning, the condition of the driver of the GMC had improved and he is currently in stable condition, Covelli said.

The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigation Team.