Mundelein teen dies in one-vehicle crash near Grayslake

Lake County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a one-vehicle crash near Grayslake early Sunday morning that took the life of a 17-year-old boy.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Curtis Gregory said the teen was in a 2006 Ford Escape that struck a utility pole and tree in front of a residence in the 29700 block of West Chardon Road, near Route 60.

Harrison C. Fischer of Mundelein was the only person in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, said Lake County Coroner Artis Yancey.

Police said it is not known when precisely the crash took place, but deputies were called to the scene about 5:09 a.m., approximately an hour or two after the collision probably occurred.

Investigators are still working to determine how the crash happened, but Gregory said there is a curve in the road there that might have played a role.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have played a factor in the crash, but the coroner’s office is awaiting toxicology results. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

The residents of the home where the crash took place did not report hearing anything unusual during the night.

“They had the house closed up. They had an air conditioner running in a window,” Gregory said. “(But) something like this is really quick. Even though it might be loud, it’s quick. So it’s not unusual that they didn’t hear anything.”

Gregory said teen was found in the vehicle without a seat belt. He couldn’t say how fast the vehicle had been traveling at impact. An accident reconstructionist from the sheriff’s office is working the scene, he said.