January 29, 2025

On January 28, 2025, at approximately 8:14 p.m., the Jo Daviess County Dispatch Center received a 911 call about a traffic crash on North Menominee Road, about a tenth of a mile north of West Meadow Lane in rural East Dubuque, Illinois. Upon arrival, deputies found a black Ford Explorer resting in the east side ditch. It was later discovered that Juan Manuel Martinez 21 of East Dubuque was the driver, heading north on N. Menominee Rd. The vehicle left the roadway, hit a culvert, rolled over, and came to a stop on all four tires facing southbound in the east side ditch. Miraculously, no one was inside the vehicle when the airbags deployed. Martinez was later found and taken to Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois, by Galena EMS.

Martinez was cited for several traffic violations, including failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, no valid driver’s license, operating an uninsured vehicle, and driving under the influence of alcohol. It’s important to note that Martinez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This traffic crash is currently under investigation.