Driver released from hospital, faces charges after crashing into home, killing passenger near Lake Villa

A driver has been released from the hospital and faces charges after crashing a pickup truck into a home near Lake Villa on Christmas Eve, killing one man and seriously injuring another.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Villa Fire Protection District responded around 7:25 p.m. on December 24 to the 21300 block of West Engle Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa for reports of a car that crashed into a house.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located a Jeep and a home that had sustained significant damage, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Christopher Covelli.

A preliminary investigation showed that the driver of the Jeep, Marcos Corona-Vargas, 31, of Round Lake Beach, was traveling east on West Engle Drive.

According to witnesses, Marcos-Vargas’ vehicle crossed into the westbound lane of traffic and then returned to the eastbound lane, Covelli said.

Marcos-Vargas left the road on the south side, entered a yard and the jeep crashed into the house.

The home was unoccupied at the time of the accident, Covelli said.

Axel Maldonado Guerrero, 22, of Round Lake Beach, who was sitting in the front seat of the Jeep, was seriously injured and pronounced dead at the scene.

Covelli said another 22-year-old Round Lake Beach man, who was sitting in one of the back seats, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Corona-Vargas suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Sheriff’s traffic accident investigators determined that Corona-Vargas was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, Covelli said.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved charges of reckless homicide and driving under the influence against Corona-Vargas.

He was released from the hospital on Tuesday, a week after the crash, into the custody of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Lake County Jail.

Corona-Vargas is expected to appear in Court of First Appearance on Thursday morning.