The man found dead recently not far from his motorcycle in Antioch apparently suffered a medical emergency, Lake County authorities said.
William Webster, 46, of Lake Villa, did not show any signs of injury or trauma, the coroner’s office said Thursday. Toxicology reports, which are pending, may point to a cause of death, authorities said.
Webster’s body was found in a ditch about 40 feet from his disabled motorcycle near Deep Lake Road and Illinois Route 173 at around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Antioch Police Chief Geoff Guttschow said officers were alerted around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday to the disabled bike, which officers found leaking oil and with its hazard lights blinking. However, Webster was not there, and police believe he was at a nearby Walmart and gas station perhaps buying items to service his bike.
Officers checked again late Tuesday and the chief said the bike’s hazard lights were off, and the cycle had been moved farther from the road, but there was no sign of the rider. When Webster was found early Wednesday, he was dressed all in black and in an area of cattails, making it unlikely he could have been seen the previous night, Guttschow said.
Webster apparently suffered a medical emergency while he was in the ditch, the chief said.
Accidental shooting
A 17-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the leg and then lied about it to police may face charges, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Officers responded to a home on West Rose Avenue near Mundelein on April 6, and found the youth with a gunshot wound to his left leg. The boy told officers he had been standing outside with two friends when a vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire.
However, police said they determined that the youth shot himself. Two guns were located by a nearby Dumpster. The youth was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment of his wound, which police said was not life-threatening.
Dangerous game
A group of teens playing a game caused a serious situation in Gurnee this week and police are warning the community about it.
On Wednesday, a group of students wearing ski masks and carrying water pistols entered a Gurnee restaurant with the intention of dousing some other students they know as part of a game.
A patron, who is a concealed weapon permit holder, was in the restaurant and mistook the intentions of the group, and police said a serious situation almost took place.
“The gravity of the situation cannot be emphasized enough; it had the potential to lead to serious consequences,” police said.
The teens were playing a game called “Senior Assassins,” where teams of players try to eliminate other teams by tagging them with water guns.
“The Gurnee Police Department would like to emphasize that the depiction of firearms, whether real or imitation, in any public setting, is a matter of concern and may instill fear among the public. We urge community members to reconsider their participation in such activities and recognize the seriousness of their actions,” GPD said.
