Driver Found Dead In Car By Hikers Is Missing Elderly Man

The man found dead inside a car by three juvenile hikers over the weekend had been missing for several weeks, authorities said Monday. Dale Kropke, 76, was reported missing on March 4 after he never showed up for a scheduled checkup at Condell Medical Center. The Round Lake Park man was found dead inside his 2010 gold Toyota Prius at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday when three juvenile girls were out hiking near Mundelein and happened upon the wreckage, authorities said.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation reveals Kropke was heading east on Winchester Road east of Route 83 in his a Prius when it went off the road, headed south through a field and hit a tree. Preliminary results from an autopsy completed Monday morning revealed Kropke died from injuries related to a crash, said Round Lake Park Chief George Filenko.

His family launched a search effort to try and locate the 76-year-old man initial searches didn't turn up Kropke or his car. During their search, a drone was used to capture footage over the same field where the wreckage was later found, Filenko said. The drone flew over the area several times but authorities never spotted the wreckage.

Authorities watched the drone video again after the wreckage was found. Even then, when they knew where the vehicle had been, they had a hard time spotting the Prius on the video.

Filenko said the gold Prius blended in with the color of the bushes and trees in the field where the car was found.

"If you didn't know it was there, it was nearly impossible to see," Filenko said.

Toxicology results are expected to be back in the coming weeks.

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