The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has accused Craig B. Muzard of causing a fatal car accident while under the influence of drugs. Muzard, 74, has been charged with Reckless Homicide and Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Resulting in Death. These charges come from a collision on February 3, 2023, in which 73-year-old George V. Giannakakis was killed.
After careful investigation, traffic crash detectives concluded that Muzard, the driver of a GMC Acadia, had encroached into the oncoming lanes while under the influence of cocaine. According to the Sheriff’s Office, cocaine consumption played a significant role in the collision and Giannakakis’s death.
Following the investigation, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Muzard with class 2 felony for driving under the influence causing death, and class 3 felony for Reckless Homicide. Muzard was arrested on the morning of December 20, 2023, without confrontation. He was taken into custody at the Lake County Jail, awaiting his initial court appearance.
The sad demise of Giannakakis is an unfortunate example of the potential fatal consequences of reckless driving. Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg states that investigatory teams will continue to hold individuals accountable for dangerous driving caused by drugs, alcohol, or distractions.
Previously, on February 3, 2023, sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene of a head-on collision on Route 59, south of Route 132, in unincorporated Lake Villa. There they discovered a GMC Acadia and Kia Sorento heavily damaged. Both drivers were critically injured and transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where Giannakakis was later pronounced dead. Witnesses stated that Muzard’s vehicle was swerving before the crash, suggesting impairment as a key factor in the accident. Further investigations are still ongoing.
It is important to note, as stated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, that all accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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