Here are a number of briefs of news events occurring over the past week, this weekend, and today in the Disclosure coverage area.
In White County, the report we brought to you last week about the man who jumped into the Skillet Fork River in White County east of Springerton has been updated: The body of Dwight Tullis, 65, was located about 12:15 Saturday afternoon, June 16. Tullis, himself from Springerton, had been observed by a witness at the scene last Thursday (June 14) driving up on the bridge, stopping his vehicle, getting out and jumping into the water on County Road 2100N.
Up in Wayne County, a young man lost his life an a 4-wheeler accident last night (Sunday, June 17). The accident claimed the life of Cody Burroughs, 33, of Geff. He was riding northbound on County Road 1075E when he lost control of the vehicle, ran into a ditch, and overturned. Burroughs was airlifted to Deaconess in Evansville from Fairfield Memorial Hospital, but he didn't make it. The accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. and was reported at about 9:15.
Over in Jefferson County, an ATV accident was responsible for the loss of another man's life the day before (June 16). Authorities there advise that an ATV crash occurred Saturday at some point; nothing specific has yet been released on it, as the man's identity hasn't been given yet. However, the man and the four-wheeler were found in a field just off Presley Lane, located just west of the city of Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
Also in Jefferson County, several people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Saturday night (June 16) that authorities are attributing to texting/talking on cell phone while driving. Happening at about 10:20 p.m., the head-on crash occurred on Route 148 in the community of Scheller, south of Mt. Vernon/southeast of Waltonville. Two vehicles, one occupied by Felicia Smith, 21, of Mt. Vernon; Ethan Cook, 22, of Odin; and a 2-year-old child, the other being driven by William Chaffin, 44, of Scheller, collided head-on on Route 148 near East Emerson City Road. Smith and Cook were transported to a Good Samaritan Hospital, then on to St. Louis for treatment; the child was uninjured. Chaffin was treated at the scene, then cited for Text/Talk While Operating a Motor Vehicle, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident, and Improper Lane Usage (likely that last charge meaning he crossed the center line...which is something we see every single time we go out, and almost got run off the road a couple of weeks ago because of it. PUT YOUR CELL PHONES DOWN. Some of us don't mess with our cell phones while driving and get along just fine. But we're sick of those of you who do, so QUIT. Please and thank you).
Christopher Shurtz, Franklin County mug
In Franklin County to the south, a man has been arrested following an alleged hammer attack. Christopher H. Shurtz, 48, of Buckner, was the subject of a 911 call at about 6:20 a.m. Friday morning, June 15. Shurtz, it was reported, had forced his way into a home in that town, and allegedly attacked a man inside it with a claw hammer, who has not been named by law enforcement. Shurtz fled the scene and was located a little after 9 a.m. at a place in rural Macedonia (the Franklin County side) and was taken into custody on charges of Home Invasion, Aggravated Battery and Unlawful Violation of an Order of Protection.
And lastly, up in Lawrence County, a fire destroyed a home in Lawrenceville last night (Sunday, June 17), on the 1600 block of Orchard Street. The fire was reported at 8:25 p.m. Fortunately there were no injuries, but damage estimates at the residence, owned by Marty Robinson but occupied by Tristan Davis, have reached $10,000. There was no mention in any reports about how long it took LFD (headed up by Mike Mefford, who may have irretrievably screwed up equipment at the city's fire station recently) to get there...or whether the fact that the new equipment Mefford had installed was, as we've previously reported, unable to communicate with other fire departments in the area for mutual aid calls and phones had to be resorted to.