Police, firefighters and paramedics from Wauconda responded about 9:56 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2026 to a report of a serious traffic crash involving an e-moto and a sport utility vehicle in the 500 block of North Main Street in Wauconda. Initial calls to 9-1-1 indicated the operator of the e-moto was possibly not breathing.
Police officers arrived and located the e-moto operator with critical injuries in the roadway near the baseball field north of the high school building, and near Cook Memorial Park. The 14-year-old male was transported by Wauconda Fire District paramedics to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The preliminary investigation indicates the e-moto was involved in a collision with a northbound gray 2025 Honda Pilot. The Honda Pilot was occupied by a 44-year-old female driver and an adult female passenger. Both occupants were evaluated at the scene and were uninjured.
The driver of the Honda Pilot is cooperating with the investigation. No charges have been filed at this time.
The Wauconda Fire District and the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) assisted the Wauconda Police Department with the response and investigation. Main Street was closed in both directions for several hours while investigators processed the scene.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
Chief John Combs expressed his condolences to those impacted by the tragedy.
“Our hearts are with the young man’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy. Any time a young life is lost, it has a profound impact on an entire community. As e-motos and other similar electric vehicles become more common on our roadways, we urge parents and riders to understand their capabilities, follow traffic laws, wear proper safety equipment, and recognize the serious risks involved.”
— Wauconda Police Department
The crash remains under active investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist investigators is encouraged to contact the Wauconda Police Department at (847) 526-2421.
Main Street is a two-way street with one lane in each direction, and also includes some left turn lanes. The Speed Limit is 25 MPH with a Speed Zone of 20 MPH near Wauconda High School.
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