'I need some help': Deer breaks into suburban basement, causes mess

YORKVILLE, Ill. - The basement of a west suburban home was trashed Tuesday morning after an unexpected visitor broke in and wreaked havoc.

Now, one Yorkville man is still cleaning up the damage from a ‘home-wrecking’ deer.

"I looked over, something popped up, and it was a big deer. Couple hundred pounds," said James Meek, homeowner.

Meek has lived in his Yorkville home – located just off Highway 71 – for more than 20 years but he's never had a morning quite like Tuesday’s.  

Within a couple hours of his cable and internet going out on Tuesday morning, Meek ventured down to his basement.

There, he quickly learned he wasn't alone – and it wasn't the deer who was caught in the headlights.

"I looked at it, it looked at me and I took off, ran upstairs, shut that basement door to keep it corralled," said Meek. "I had no phone to call for help, I went outside looking for anybody who might be walking or driving by to stop them and the only one I had left for a helper, is a saint, Jessica."

Meek went to his neighbor, Jessica’s home and introduced himself – the two had never officially met.

"I need some help, you aren’t going to believe this, but a deer broke into my basement, he's running all over and he almost trampled me, I lost power, I can't call the cops I don’t have any phone," Meek said to his neighbor.

It’s a conversation that was captured on Jessica Giese’s Ring doorbell video. Right away, she jumped into action.

"I immediately jumped off my work meeting without explanation, got my phone, went back outside and dialed 911," said Giese.

"We started walking across the street, the cops met us, and then we went over, more cops came, more cops came, and more cops came, it was like a rodeo," said Meek.

Officials believe the deer fell or jumped into one of Meek's window wells and crashed through the glass – injuring itself on the way into the basement. The animal is also to blame for cutting the cable and internet lines in the process.

Plus, since Meek didn’t go down to the basement immediately after losing internet service, he believes his unwelcome guest was in his home for at least an hour before he realized it.  

Officials with the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office told FOX 32 Chicago they responded to Meek’s home and requested assistance from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).  

It took several deputies and conservation officers to wrangle the deer onto a tarp and get it outside.

"The deer was ultimately euthanized because it was believed to be suffering from Chronic Wasting Disease," said Deputy Dan Briars, PIO, Kendall County Sheriff’s Office.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CDW) is a fatal and contagious neurological illness that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Briars also said the animal has been sent to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for further testing.

Meek says he’s been in contact with his insurance company and has hired a cleaning crew to disinfect his basement.