A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Coles County, leaving a 35-year-old man from Mattoon dead and two passengers, a 5-year-old child and a 37-year-old woman, injured and hospitalized.
Authorities reported that at around 5:26 p.m. on October 1, deputies from the Coles County Sheriff’s Office were called to a fatal accident at the junction of County Road 1200 N and County Road 300 E. The accident involved a Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Corey Mitchell, 35, of Mattoon, and an International semi-truck operated by 59-year-old Michael Emmerich from Gays. Mitchell was driving south on 300 E when the semi-truck struck the driver’s side of his vehicle at the intersection.
According to the sheriff’s office, Mitchell died at the crash scene. His passengers, a 37-year-old woman from Mattoon and a 5-year-old child, were taken to the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. The conditions of the passengers have not been disclosed.
Emmerich received a citation for not reducing speed to prevent the collision. The Coles County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Illinois State Police, continues to investigate the crash.
The following agencies responded to the scene during this fatal incident:
- Coles County Sheriff’s Office
- Mattoon Fire Department
- Humboldt Fire Protection District
- Cooks Mills Fire Protection District
- Mitchell Jerdan Ambulance
- Air Evac
- Illinois State Police
