Weekend News for WGFA, Nov 6-7, 2009 >
WX > A sunny weekend forecast for Illiana, high near 70 today and pushing toward 70 Sunday. Breezy SW winds at 10-20 mph.
-Former Iroquois Clerk Henrichs sentenced to 30-days, Probation-
> Iroquois County Coroner Bill Cheatum says a medical condition may have played a role Friday in the death of an Indiana man and also triggered a multi-vehicle crash on U-S Route 24 near Gilman. 60-year-old Robert J. Smith of Oxford, IN died in the crash just before 12 Noon. Coroner Cheatum pronounced Smith dead at the scene. Two other drivers were not injured. District 21 Illinois State Police, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police, Gilman Fire and Iroquois Memorial Hospital Ambulance answered the call to county road 1100 E.
State Police report Smith was westbound IN THE WRONG LANE on 24. A van driven by 51-yr-old Keith Fox of Orland Park was eastbound. The two vehicles collided with the Smith car then running into an eastbound Freightliner pulling a box trailer. The semi driver–57-yr-old Tommy Wooten of Alabama–was not injured. Route 24 traffic was re-routed by Department of Transportation officials for about four hours. State Police continue the investigation. An autopsy is scheduled.
> Authorities in Florida confirm a Gibson City woman died Tuesday at a Florida hospital from complications resulting from her near-drowning in the Gulf of Mexico the day earlier. 64-year-old Lana “Sue” Lunde died at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s officials investigated.
Mrs. Lunde was vacationing with her sister. While looking for sea shells off the shore of Okaloosa Island on Monday afternoon with Chalias J. Meredith of Gibson City, Mrs. Lunde appeared to have dropped off the ledge of a sandbar and started to panic. After Meredith was able to pull Mrs. Lunde back onto the sandbar, Meredith noticed Mrs. Lunde was unconscious and not breathing. Reports said after witnesses on the beach called 911, police and medical personnel arrived and were able to resuscitate Mrs. Lunde before taking her by helicopter to the hospital.
The Okaloosa County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an exam of Mrs. Lunde on Wednesday morning, determining her death was caused by accidental drowning.
> A Papineau woman was jailed after a traffic stop in Watseka. 32-yr-old Lisa Courtney was stopped by Watseka Police Thursday near Walnut and Grant Streets. She was charged with Possession of Cannabis, Drug Paraphernalia, and a Controlled Substance. Courtney was also arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver.
