Hiram Grau - Director
FATAL CRASH - I55/70 westbound Mile Post 4.8
Date: 08/19/11
Time: 06:12 a.m.
Location: I-55/70 eastbound Mile Post 4.8
County: St. Clair
Crash Number: 11-11-2238
Unit 1
Vehicle Description: Orange Chevrolet Cavalier
Driver Name: Joseph M. Hutchinson
Gender: Male
Age: 28
City/State of Residence : Wood River, IL
Seatbelt use: Yes
Injuries: None
Unit 2
Vehicle Description: Pedestrian
Pedestrian Name: Polly C. Cottrell
Gender: Female
Age: 52
City/State of Residence : Bull Shoals, AR
Seatbelt use: N/A
Injuries: Fatal
Transported to: Gateway Regional Hospital (Granite City) by Abbott
Ambulance
Narrative:
Unit #2, a pedestrian, was a passenger in a vehicle that had stopped to
check for injuries at a crash that had just occurred on Interstate 55
northbound at Mile Post 4.8 in the center lane (See Previous Crash Release
- Crash Report #11-11-2233). The pedestrian's vehicle was parked on the
left shoulder and she was out of her vehicle standing in the left lane.
Unit #1 was traveling on Interstate 55 northbound. When the driver of Unit
#1 saw the disabled vehicle in the center lane from the previous crash.
Unit #1 changed lanes to the left to avoid colliding with the vehicle from
the previous crash and struck the pedestrian. The pedestrian was thrown
onto the left shoulder of the I-55/70 southbound/westbound lanes.
* The public is reminded that criminal defendants are presumed innocent
until the government is able to prove its charges in court beyond a
reasonable doubt.
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