The 59-year-old pickup driver from North Chicago told investigators the last thing he remembered before the crash was opening a beer.
ILLINOIS WOMAN RAN OVER BY THIEF WHO STOLE HER SUV WITH 2-YEAR-OLD INSIDE
"One of our sheriff’s deputies was seriously injured in a crash because a thoughtless individual felt it was more important to drink a beer while driving, putting everyone on the roadway at risk, instead of driving safe," Sheriff John Idleburg said.
An Illinois sheriff's deputy was seriously injured after his squad car was hit by a North Carolina pickup truck driver.
The deputy was transported to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said. She remained hospitalized Monday.
CHICAGO-AREA MAN TIED UP, BEAT WOMAN HE MET ON DATING APP: POLICE
The driver of the pickup truck also was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the office said.
The names of the deputy and the pickup driver weren't released.
A second deputy also was responding to the battery but swerved to avoid the pickup, the office said.