There are weird incidents, and then there are weird incidents. And Williamson County in southern Illinois has more than its fair share of them.
Case in point: Our coverage of this little incident that occurred in late March. We were just doing the basic “here’s what happened with this wreck that sent the motorcyclist to the hospital” thing when the driver of the truck that collided with the bike started stirring shit with our photographer. Then, it became a much bigger story than just an average wreck.
And when we started digging, we found a much bigger story than just a jerk stirring shit with our photographer.
Here now is your afternoon Read the Lead offering, in which it’s a pretty sure bet there’s going to be a follow up in the upcoming print version (May-June 2014, on stands beginning May 13), OP filed in wake of truck-motorcycle accident:
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Thomas J. Fann
WILLIAMSON CO.—A wreck that occurred on Khoury Road towards Pittsburgh March 28 has resulted in a Stalking/No-Contact Order being issued against one of those involved.
Aside from a handful of traffic citations (for Failure to Reduce Speed, Driving on a Suspended License, Expired Registration, Operating Uninsured and Reckless Driving) all issued on April 3 (ostensibly after he was released from the hospital due to injuries received in the wreck), William J. Breedwell, 26, of Johnston City and formerly of West Frankfort, found himself the recipient of the order (also known as a civil OP) on April 1, apparently as soon as Thomas Fann, 27, of Marion, could get to the courthouse to file it.
The wreck, according to Williamson County officials, occurred as Fann was traveling in his vehicle down Khoury Road and a motorcycle, being operated by Breedwell, was ‘following’ him and rode up alongside him on the driver’s side. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the cyclist was attempting to pass Fann’s vehicle, or had other notions in mind. Whatever the case, a collision occurred, and Breedwell’s bike ran off the road and crashed, his injuries significant enough to call for an air evacuation by helicopter and hospitalization for a few days.
Unlike Breedwell, Fann was not cited in the incident, so apparently authorities, at least by the time of issuing Breedwell’s citations, believed Fann had done nothing wrong, despite one report that Fann had allegedly opened the driver’s side door of his vehicle and managed to strike Breedwell with it.
The ensuing OP filed showed why Fann might’ve been well within his rights to have done so, if that report is accurate.
In his petition, Fann reported on the March 28 incident:
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To read the rest of the article, simply click the headline above the excerpt if you have an online membership to the e-Edition, or click this link to get started with your subscription. Otherwise, we’ve made sure there are still copies of the April-May 2014 edition available at the ROC One-Stop locations in West Frankfort, Johnston City and Marion; as well as Marion vendors Pit Road Racing downtown on the square, and Hunter’s Cover Barbershop on West DeYoung! Be sure you pick up your copy; the new one hits the stands May 13-14.
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