Two Men Dead After Separate Wrecks
IROQUOIS, Ill. (STMW) - Illinois State Police are investigating two fatal crashes that occurred Wednesday night and early Thursday Downstate.
At 4:13 a.m. Thursday a Ford Taurus driven by Jarrad D. Cox was southbound on U.S. 52 when it went off the road to the right and lost control at Lexington Street near Iroquois, according to an ISP District 21 release.
Cox tried to correct and went off the roadway again to the right, where it entered a ditch and hit a tree on its passenger side, killing the passenger.
The passenger was identified as Jordan A. Jackson, 20, of Bourbonnais, according to the release.
Cox, who was cited with aggravated DUI and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor, was taken to Iroquois Memorial Hospital but was transferred to Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign for his injures, according to the release.
In a separate fatal wreck, 60-year-old Tom E. Williams, of Loda, was killed.
Williams was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck at 7:13 p.m. Wednesday on northbound I-57, near Paxton when he left the roadway to the right, sideswiped a tree and drove through a barbed wire fence, the release said.
The pickup continued northbound for about 1/4 of a mile when he veered left back through the fence, crossed the northbound lanes of traffic, drove through the median and crossed into the southbound lanes of traffic, the release said.
The pickup struck a ditch, leaving Williams partially trapped. He was found under the dashboard and slumped over the center console, according to the release.
Williams was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital by Gibson ambulance and he was pronounced dead at 7:56 p.m., the release said.
The cause of the wreck is under investigation by the Champaign County Coroner's office and State Police.
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