JEFFERSON CO., Ill. - Authorities have stated that the vehicle accident that claimed a young Hamilton County man's life was caused by a ca-deer collision.
Lucas D. Johnson, 22, of McLeansboro, died Saturday when the vehicle he was driving on Opdyke Lane in Jefferson County went off the road near the intersection with Lynchburg road and crashed into a tree.
With him was a passenger from Carterville, Kalie Montgomery, 21, who was seriously injured and had to be evacuated by helicopter to an out-of area hospital.
Eddie Joe Marks, Jefferson County Coroner, has advised that a dead deer was found about 75 yards from the crashed Johnson vehicle. Marks also said that there was evidence that Johnson attempted to miss the deer but he hit it, and that's the likely cause of the crash.