A South Barrington police squad sustained heavy rear-end damage in a crash at Route 62 and Penny Road on October 15 with a Tesla whose driver | Joseph Fresso, 43, of Lake in the Hills (inset) — claimed his vehicle was on autopilot and he had fallen asleep. Provided Photos
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
Police have identified a Lake in the Hills man, who was found with a gun, as the Tesla driver who claimed he fell asleep with his car in autopilot mode when it crashed into a stopped South Barrington squad car, injuring officers.
The Barrington Hills Police Department responded around 10:35 p.m. on October 15 to assist the South Barrington Police Department with a crash involving one of their police squads.
Barrington Hills Police Department Public Information Officer William Walsh said the crash occurred on Route 62 near Penny Road.
An investigation determined that two South Barrington police vehicles were stopped on Route 62 west of Penny Road with their emergency lights activated, Walsh said.
The officers were conducting a traffic investigation in the eastbound right lane.
A 2022 Tesla Model Y was traveling eastbound on Route 62 when it struck the rear of one of the police vehicles, Walsh said.
The impact pushed the squad into the Mack truck that had been stopped by officers.
Joseph Fresso, 43, of Lake in the Hills.
Walsh said the driver of the Tesla, Joseph Fresso, 43, of Lake in the Hills, told officers his vehicle was engaged in self-driving mode.
Fresso said that he had fallen asleep and woke up too late to avoid the crash.
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