One person killed in Effingham County crash

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — One person is dead following a multi-vehicle crash northwest of Effingham Wednesday afternoon.

The crash happened around 4:40 p.m. at the intersections of 1600th Avenue and 1000th Street, near Lake Sara and Fore-Way Gold Course. Officials with the Illinois State Police said there were three cars involved — a 1999 Ford pickup truck, a 2021 Ford pickup truck and a 2004 Ford sedan. The investigation revealed that the sedan was stopped at the intersection, with the 2021 truck stopped behind it. The 1999 truck, officials said, was driving toward the stopped vehicles and it failed to slow down.

The 1999 truck rear-ended the 2021 truck, which was pushed into the 2004 Ford sedan. All three cars came to a rest in the middle of the intersection.

A juvenile passenger in the 2021 truck was pronounced dead at the scene of the cash by the Effingham County Coroner, officials said. The driver of the 2021 truck, a 28-year-old from Beecher City, was taken to a regional hospital with severe injuries.

The Ford sedan had a 77-year-old driver and a 70-year-old passenger, both from Effingham. The driver was not hurt while the passenger was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the 1999 truck that caused the crash, officials said, was a 40-year-old man from Mason who refused medical treatment on the scene. He was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

The crash and the death remain under investigation.

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