Waukegan: Driver Plows Through House After Rear-Ending Van

A blue Honda came to a complete stop inside a house in the 1100 block of Golf Road in Waukegan on Monday evening. The vehicle had crashed through the structure after the driver struck a van stopped in traffic.

Deputy Chief Craig Neal of the Waukegan Police Department said an officer was traveling westbound around 6 p.m. when they noticed the Honda moving eastbound at high speed. The officer described the driving as reckless. They began a turn to initiate a traffic stop but lost sight of the car for a moment.

When the officer re-established visual contact, the Honda was embedded in the home near Linden Avenue. The driver, Iban Portillo-Turcios, 20, was standing in the front yard. Portillo-Turcios stated he was maneuvering around a truck when a Toyota van suddenly appeared. He claimed he hit the rear of the van and lost control of his vehicle, sending it into the house.

Portillo-Turcios told police he was aware of defects in his Honda's brakes and accelerator. The driver of the Toyota said they were stopped in traffic attempting a left turn when the collision occurred. Fire department crews assessed the building's integrity. The home was unoccupied during the crash, and no injuries were reported.

Both vehicles sustained heavy damage. The Honda was damaged on all sides, while the Toyota suffered severe rear-end damage. Towing companies removed both cars from the scene. The exact extent of the damage to the house was not immediately known.

Police cited Portillo-Turcios for reckless driving, failure to reduce speed, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, expired registration, unsafe equipment, excessive muffler noise, and failure to maintain the vehicle. He was released pending a future court date.