WABASH CO., Ill. - One of Lawrence County's most well-known former methslingers has been involve in an accident in neighboring Wabash County that lead to the death of a woman from Mt. Carmel.
Derek R. "Hootie" Wells, the man whose antics years ago have been painstakingly chronicled here, is the former methslinger in question. Only a little over a year ago, Wells was released from a lengthy (but never long enough) prison sentence for his criminal acts in Lawrence.
Now, he's in an unnamed regional hospital following a two-vehicle accident that's left a 66-year-old Mt. Carmel woman deceased, and he got only two traffic citations from it.
Illinois State police in District 19 Carmi report that the crash occurred earlier today, Tuesday, March 5, at 2:23 p.m.
According to the preliminary traffic crash investigation, Wells, 32 of Bridgeport, driving a 2018 Peterbilt garbage truck, was traveling northbound on Wabash County Road 850E, when he failed to stop at the stop sign located at the intersection of Illinois Route 15.
Wells proceeded north through the intersection and struck the driver side of a 2011 Ford F150 truck, driven by Brenda S. Morehead, 66 of Mt. Carmel, traveling westbound on Illinois Route 15. Following the impact of the crash, both vehicles came to rest on the north side of Illinois Route 15.
Air Evac transported Wells from the crash scene to a regional hospital. Morehead was pronounced deceased at the crash scene by the Wabash County Coroner’s Office. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, Wabash County Coroner’s Office, Wabash General Hospital Ambulance Service, Air Evac, Mt. Carmel Fire Department, Rick’s Towing (Grayville), and Rick’s Towing (Fairfield) assisted ISP District 19 at the crash scene.
Wells, who has a history of bad driving and wrecking vehicles at random, received citations for Disobeying a Stop Sign and Driving While Ill or Fatigued.