MARION CO., Ill. - A single-vehicle accident with an apparently mysterious cause for veering off the roadway sent a Centralia man to a St. Louis hospital last night, trailing several citations behind him.
Illinois State Police said the crash occurred at 10:15 p.m. last night, Monday, October 22.
Preliminary investigative reports from ISP indicate that a maroon 2003 Chevrolet Impala being driven by Reuben A. Gardet, 48, of Centralia, was westbound on Main Street in the village of Walnut Hill, just north of East Base Line Road (the county line riding Marion and Jefferson counties).
The vehicle, ISP said, crossed into the eastbound lane and then exited the roadway from the southwest shoulder, struck a ditch and went airborne, collided with a large tree, then came to rest on its top.
Gardet was extricated from the vehicle by fire personnel and transported by Life Star Ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia. From there, he was transferred to a helicopter and airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri.
Gardet was later cited for Improper Lane Usage, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident, Failure to Wear Seatbelt, Expired Registration, and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.
There's been no word on his condition currently.