Chase Parthe
Paul J. Zawojski
A pair of Park Ridge men face multiple charges stemming from a shooting and two hit-and-run crashes, including one that injured a 9-year-old boy, Saturday afternoon in Lake County, authorities said Sunday.
Paul J. Zawojski, 29, and Chase Parthe, 31, both of the 700 block of North Broadway Avenue, were in custody Sunday at the Lake County jail awaiting their initial court appearances.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office intends to file a petition to keep both in custody while they await trial, officials said.
According to the Lake County sheriff’s office, deputies responded at about 4:55 p.m. Saturday to a hit-and-run crash with injuries at O’Plaine Road and Route 137 in Green Oaks. They learned a silver pickup truck had struck a vehicle and fled the scene. A 9-year-old boy suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, authorities said.
Deputies later learned the same pickup truck had been involved in a separate hit-and-run crash at O’Plaine Road and Route 120 in Waukegan, sheriff’s officials said.
While fleeing that crash, the truck illegally passed another vehicle, nearly forcing it off the road, officials said. As the truck sped past, a passenger inside the pickup truck fired two gunshots, though it was unclear where they were aimed, authorities said.
A Highland Park police officer spotted the pickup truck near Route 41 and Deerfield Road and detained both occupants until deputies arrived.
Parthe is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; aggravated unlawful use of a weapon; reckless discharge of a firearm; and charges stemming from the unlawful possession of cocaine, Xanax, Adderall and marijuana.
Zawojski is charged with unlawful possession of cocaine; failure to report a crash causing involving injury; open transportation of alcohol; and multiple traffic violations.
“Yet again, I am incredibly proud of our team,” Lake County John D. Idleburg said in an announcement of the arrests. “Our deputies quickly responded to the scene and investigated, while our 911 emergency telecommunicators were able to disseminate information quickly. All of this led to the apprehension of two incredibly reckless and dangerous men. We wish the child involved in the crash a speedy recovery.”
A Highland Park police officer caught up with the vehicle and held the men for Lake County deputies, who found drugs and a 9 mm pistol in their pickup truck, according to the Lake County sheriff’s department.
