Journal & Topics Media Group

‘Highly Respected’ Palatine Cop Loses Life In Drowning Accident


Victor Lopez.

The Palatine Police Dept. is mourning the loss of one of its members who drowned in a Lake County lake Friday, July 3.

At approximately 5:45 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit along with sheriff’s patrol deputies were dispatched to the 38800 block of N. Cedar Crest Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa, for a report of an unconscious subject.

Further information obtained by 911 telecommunicators indicated a 49-year-old man, later identified as Victor Lopez of Round Lake Beach, who was off-duty at the time, went underwater while swimming in an area known as the “Sandbar” in Petite Lake, authorities said.

Sheriff’s Marine Unit deputies arrived at the scene first and found Lopez’s friends performing CPR on him. The Marine Unit deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED) and attempted to shock his heart back to rhythm. They assisted with rendering aid until paramedics arrived. 

According to authorities, preliminary investigation shows Lopez had been at the Sandbar for approximately two hours. All of a sudden, his friends could not locate Lopez and they began searching in the area where he was last seen. They found him under the water near their boat, unconscious. They immediately removed Lopez from the water, administered CPR, and boated him to the shore.

Paramedics transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he was pronounced deceased. Lake County sheriff’s deputies found no immediate signs of trauma or foul play.

Lopez served Palatine for 21 years. Prior to beginning his career with the Palatine, he graduated from Western Illinois University. After graduation, Lopez entered the United States Army and served as a military police officer while achieving the rank of first lieutenant. He spent a brief amount of time working as a police and fire dispatcher at CenCom 911 in Round Lake Beach prior to his appointment with the Palatine in June 1999. 

In a statement released by the department, Lopez was highly respected by his peers and those he served in the community. He served the police department as a field training officer, juvenile officer, and school resource officer, completing two assignments as the school resource officer at Dist. 211 Academy North High School from 2008-11 and from 2015-17.

Also, Lopez received several performance citations and numerous letters of appreciation from citizens throughout his career. Most notably, he received a Department Life Saving Award for his actions during an incident that occurred in August 2007, where Lopez located a distraught teenager who, while speaking with Lopez, produced a knife and held it to his own neck. The teenager used the knife to harm himself causing significant cutting injuries. Lopez’s quick actions and life-saving measures saved the teen’s life.

In June 2019, Lopez responded to a motor vehicle crash where the vehicle had crashed into a building and was on fire. At his own personal risk, Lopez entered the burning vehicle and assisted in extricating the driver. Lopez was commended for his bravery and selfless acts in an effort to save another’s life. 

A memorial service is being planned for Lopez, but details are unknown at this time.

The incident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office and coroner’s office. Toxicology results are pending.

 

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