Man follows, threatens to shoot driver, crashes car near Waukegan, Lake Co. Sheriff's Office says

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WLS) -- A man who crashed his car in unincorporated Waukegan Friday night is accused of threatening to shoot a driver shortly before the accident, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Joseph Ebler, 28 of Beach Park initially ran away from the scene of the single-vehicle crash that happened around 10:20 p.m. near Delaney Rd., just north of Yorkhouse Rd., police said.

Responding sheriff's deputies found his Ford Mustang, down an embankment, engulfed in flames.

A short time later, they located Ebler who was uncooperative. He appeared impaired and sustained minor injuries in the crash, police said.

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Further investigation revealed Ebler had just been involved in a traffic altercation with a 40-year-old Gurnee man near Wadsworth and Delaney in Wadsworth, the sheriff's office said.

During the altercation, Ebler brandished a pistol and threatened to shoot the man while they were stopped at a stoplight, said police. The victim fled in his vehicle but Ebler allegedly followed him, pulled next to him and pointed the firearm toward him. That's when Ebler lost control and crashed, police said.

According to the sheriff's office, their canine Dax found Ebler's Glock 29 about 150 feet from his vehicle.

Ebler is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

He's being held in the Lake County Jail pending his first court hearing.