Monday News Notes on WGFA, August 18, 2008 >

Fairbury toddler drowns…. Fatal ATV crash in Morris….. Scott’s law violation in Iroquois County, Onarga man arrested for DUI….

Sunny and warmer today in Illiana, high near 85. Temps pushing toward 90 Tuesday and Wednesday. Chance of showers by Thursday night.

–More area news on the links at WGFARADIO.COM–

• A Livingston County toddler is dead, an apparent drowning victim. Carter Tjarks of Fairbury died Friday. The Coroner in Rock Island County reports the boy was fishing with his grandfather in a boat in a Geneseo pond when the grandfather suffered a diabetic episode, causing him to briefly lose consciousness. When the boy’s grandfather regained consciousness, Carter was no longer in the boat. The death remains under investigation.
• A 19-yr-old Morris man riding on the back of an ATV was killed just after midnight Friday after the 4-wheeler was hit by a Morris police squad car. Dennis Roden died in the emergency room at Morris Hospital. The driver of the ATV, 19-yr-old Steffen Durkey of Morris, was arrested for aggravated DUI. Illinois State Police are investigating because the accident involved a Morris squad. The officer was treated for a minor injury.
• In Gary, IN a 14-yr-old girl is dead afte she was accidentally shot in the head while fighting over a gun with her 12-yr-old brother. TyaTyanna Crayton had grabbed a gun from her parent’s bedroom. Authorities report the gun went off while the siblings were teasing each other.
• An Onarga man faces a DUI charge after violating Scott’s Law. 55-yr-old Felipe Martinez failed a field sobriety test when stopped by state police in Danforth. Reports said a trooper was providing traffic control for another trooper Saturday night when the driver approached and nearly hit one of the trooper’s fully-lit squads. A traffic stop was made on Martinez’ vehicle leading to his arrest. Scott’s Law in Illinois requires safety by motorists for emergency responders.
• Great weather attributed to good attendance numbers at both the Illinois and Indiana State Fairs.

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