Reno J. Giangiorgi dies in fatal Gurnee police pursuit crash
Reno J. Giangiorgi dies in fatal Gurnee police pursuit crash
Fatal Gurnee police pursuit crash death of Reno J. Giangiorgi
Reno J. Giangiorgi, 34, of Gurnee, was involved in a high-profile police chase that ended in a fiery, three-vehicle crash near Milwaukee Avenue and Gages Lake Road Tuesday evening, resulting in multiple injuries, including a critically injured 5-year-old child who was ejected from a vehicle.
The incident began around 5:50 p.m. when the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a hit-and-run in the Grandwood Park area. The suspect, Giangiorgi, was accused of striking a vehicle with his pickup truck and fleeing the scene. Moments later, he hit a second vehicle in a gas station parking lot before continuing to drive erratically while bleeding.
A sheriff’s deputy spotted Giangiorgi’s truck and attempted a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to halt and led officers on a low-speed pursuit. Along the way, the truck sideswiped two cars at Hunt Club Road and Stearns School Road, causing minor injuries to one driver. The chase continued despite traffic congestion that briefly trapped the truck, allowing deputies to attempt to apprehend Giangiorgi, who then sped away once the road cleared.
Giangiorgi’s truck hit a sign near Washington Street and Route 21 and sped down various streets, reaching speeds up to 90 mph. Deputies were preparing to deploy spike strips when the suspect ran a red light at Gages Lake Road and Milwaukee Avenue, where his vehicle T-boned a Honda SUV making a left turn and collided with a northbound car.
The crash caused the truck to roll southbound before deputies finally stopped it and took Giangiorgi into custody. He was transported to the hospital for minor injuries.
Firefighters from Gurnee and Libertyville extricated victims and extinguished a fire at the scene. Among those injured were a mother, her two daughters aged 2 and 5, and a 16-year-old cousin, all occupants of the Honda. The 5-year-old girl was ejected from the car and initially hospitalized in critical condition but has since stabilized and is now lucid and communicating. Authorities are investigating whether she was properly restrained.
All injured parties from the vehicles involved were taken to the hospital with injuries reported as non-life-threatening except the child who remains hospitalized. The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team is investigating independently due to the sheriff’s office involvement.
Giangiorgi faces multiple charges, including aggravated DUI, two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, and various traffic violations. He remains in Lake County Jail following a First Appearance Court hearing, with a detention hearing scheduled.
At the time of the incident, Giangiorgi was on pre-trial release for a prior DUI arrest. Law enforcement officials are committed to holding him accountable for the dangerous and reckless conduct that endangered many lives. Victims continue their recovery with one child still hospitalized.