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SALINE CO., Ill.—Illinois State Police have submitted preliminary information about this morning’s head-on collision that took the life of a Hardin County man.
The accident, which occurred on Illinois Route 145 approximately one-half mile south of Triple S Road in rural Harrisburg (Pankeyville), happened at approximately 5:31 a.m.
From Todd Shaffer’s Facebook page
Killed in the crash was Jeffrey Todd Shaffer, 38, of Rosiclare.
Shaffer was driving a silver 2006 Toyota Corolla. The other driver, Tony D. Tite, age 51, of Ozark, Illinois, was operating a white 2014 Western Star Truck Tractor. There were no passengers in either vehicle; and there were no transports on the truck-tractor, contrary to what witnesses to the scene told us at about 7:00 this morning.
Currently, ISP says Illinois Route 145 is open at the traffic crash site; however, it was closed for approximately six and a half hours during the traffic crash investigation.
According to the preliminary traffic crash investigation, ISP has advised that Shaffer was northbound on Illinois Route 145, approximately one-half mile south of Triple S Road in Saline County, when for unknown reasons, he crossed the center line. After crossing the center line, the Toyota struck the southbound truck tractor.
Shaffer was pronounced deceased at the traffic crash scene by the Saline County Coroner’s Office. Tite did not receive any injuries as a result of the crash. Bishop’s Towing of Harrisburg, Illinois, removed the Toyota Corolla from the scene, while Vernell’s Towing of Marion, Illinois, removed the Western Star truck tractor.
An ISP Crash Reconstruction Officer (C.R.O.) and an ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer (C.V.E.O.) have been assigned to the crash investigation. In addition, ISP District 19 was assisted at the crash scene by the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Saline County EMS, Saline County Coroner’s Office, Harrisburg Fire Department, and Illinois Department of Transportation (I.D.O.T.).
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by ISP.
Sadly, one month ago today (August 6), Shaffer’s mother, Sherry Shaffer, was killed in a head-on collision not far from where this one occurred. That crash also remains under investigation by ISP. Todd Shaffer was the brother of Hardin County notable, Tina R. Williams, which article appears in this month’s issue of Disclosure, on stands only until Tuesday. There’s been no report from the family on how they are holding up under the loss. Shaffer was reportedly on the way to work at IYC in Harrisburg.