HAMILTON CO., Ill. — A wreck early this morning could easily have been a tragedy, but luckily ended with no reported fatalities.
According to the preliminary traffic crash investigation, the driver of the 2012 Dodge Avenger, Allen L. Klein, was eastbound on Illinois Route 14, near Hamilton County Road 100E, at approximately 8:35AM this morning (Sunday, August 17th, 2014) when for unknown reasons, he left the north side of the roadway and became stranded in high water. At approximately 8:37 a.m., an Illinois State Police District 19 Trooper came upon Klein’s vehicle stranded in the high water, with Klein still inside the vehicle.
The Trooper, along with two other individuals who stopped to assist, entered the water in an attempt to rescue Klein from his vehicle. The back glass of the vehicle had to be broken out, allowing for Klein to escape the submerged car. Initially, Klein appeared to be able to get himself out of the high water; however, he succumbed to his efforts and had to be pulled from the water by the Trooper. Once out of the water, an Illinois Department of Natural
Resources Conservation Officer and yet another volunteer provided first aid to Klein until an ambulance arrived on scene.
Klein was transported by Harre’s Ambulance Service to a local hospital, before being transferred to a hospital in Evansville, Indiana. Klein’s vehicle was removed from the crash scene by J and R Towing of McLeansboro.
ISP District 19 was assisted at the crash scene by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, McLeansboro Police Department, Hamilton County Rural Fire Department, Benton Fire Department, Harre’s Ambulance Service, J and R Towing, Illinois Department of Transportation (I.D.O.T.), and several Good Samaritans.
The investigation into the accident remains under investigation, and no charges will be filed or announced until the investigation is completed.