Lake in the Hills motorcyclist charged with DUI after Route 176 crash

Crash closed stretch of Route 176 for several hours, police said.

May 08, 2023 at 3:15 pm CDT

Crystal Lake police vehicles sit outside the police station on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. (Emily Coleman)

A Lake in the Hills motorcyclist has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after a crash in Crystal Lake that closed a stretch of Route 176 for several hours, police said.

Austin Lehr, 24, was headed west on Route 176, west of Route 14, and crossed into oncoming traffic just before 8 p.m. on Sunday night, according to a Crystal Lake Police news release. The motorcycle struck another vehicle in the eastbound lane, went into a ditch and the rider was ejected, police said.

A stretch of Route 176 was closed for several hours after the crash. The occupants in the vehicle that was hit were not injured in the crash, police said.

The DUI charge is a misdemeanor, police said. Lehr’s case did not immediately appear in courthouse records.

Crystal Lake police are continuing to investigate the crash and ask anyone with information to call 815-356-3620. Anonymous tips can be texted to 847411 with the phrase CLPDTIP and information about the crash.