Man charged with reckless homicide in fatal October Lake County crash

A Wisconsin man is facing reckless homicide charges after allegedly causing a crash that killed a 39-year-old man in October in an unincorporated area near suburban Antioch.

Joshua Bailey, 24, is also charged with aggravated reckless driving and aggravated street racing in the Oct. 17, 2020, crash, the Lake County sheriff’s office said in a statement.

That day, Bailey was northbound in a Dodge Caliber about 4 p.m. on Route 45 near Route 173 when he passed William Stephens, who was driving in the same direction in a Ford Taurus, in a no passing zone, the sheriff’s office said.

Stephens then tried to pass Bailey further down the road in a legal passing zone but Bailey swerved to prevent him from passing, the sheriff’s office said.

Stephens drove onto the gravel shoulder, lost control of his car and struck the Dodge, causing his Taurus to roll over, the sheriff’s office said.

Stephens was ejected from the Taurus and taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators obtained a warrant for Bailey’s arrest Thursday, and he was taken into custody Friday after leaving his home in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, the sheriff’s office said.

He is being held at the Kenosha County Jail on $350,000 bail, the sheriff’s office said.