ROUND LAKE, Ill. – Charges of attempted murder have been upgraded for a man accused of intentionally crashing into a police car in Round Lake, leaving the officer seriously injured. The incident occurred on November 15 when a Round Lake police officer was traveling northbound on Cedar Lake Road. Norberto Garcia-Acevedo, 28, of Round Lake, was driving southbound on Cedar Lake Road and suddenly swerved his SUV into the northbound lanes, colliding head-on with the police squad. The officer was transported to the hospital with severe injuries.
After the crash, multiple police officers and firefighters detected a strong smell of alcohol coming from Garcia-Acevedo. Blood and urine samples confirmed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.143. In addition, cannabis was found in his system. According to investigators, Garcia-Acevedo admitted to drinking several beers while driving and confessed to speeding at 80 mph in a 30 mph zone. He claimed to have heard voices in his head and intentionally struck the squad car. Although he said he did not realize it was a police officer’s vehicle, he expressed hatred towards law enforcement.
Garcia-Acevedo, who sustained minor injuries in the crash, was treated at the hospital and released into police custody. He now faces multiple charges, including aggravated battery to a peace officer causing great bodily harm, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, aggravated driving under the influence causing great bodily harm, and attempted murder. A Lake County grand jury returned an indictment on Wednesday, formally charging him with attempted murder, a Class X felony.
The intersection of Cedar Lake Road and Washington Street was closed for four hours for investigation by the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT). According to authorities, Garcia-Acevedo has only one prior charge of disorderly conduct. However, given the nature of his actions in this incident, a Lake County Judge ordered him to be detained pending trial, considering him a threat to the entire community.
Garcia-Acevedo is scheduled to appear in court for a case management conference on Wednesday. The Round Lake Police Department and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office are fully engaged in the ongoing investigation. The seriousness of the charges reflects the gravity of the incident, as a law enforcement officer was intentionally targeted and severely injured.