WAYNE CO., Ill. – A semi-v-pickup accident yesterday in north Wayne County claimed the life of a Fairfield man.
Details of the accident have not been made available by Illinois State Police, who, we’re told, were indeed on-scene at the wreck, which occurred Friday afternoon, May 11, at some point in time around 2 p.m.
However, those witnesses state that a semi tractor-trailer was crossing the 161 Extension from the south on what’s known as Enterprise Road, a location that has been the site of several fatal accidents. Witnesses say that the rig blew the stop sign, which also is a common occurrence there and has caused many accidents.
A pickup approaching from the east on 161, being driven by Brian Cotton, 31, of Fairfield, is said to have driven under the trailer of the rig, shearing off the cab. Cotton was fatally injured. A passenger in the vehicle was airlifted from the scene to a hospital in Evansville. Conflicting reports have it that the passenger was in the front of the pickup with Cotton and had to be extricated from the vehicle; however, some eyewitnesses have it that the passenger who survived was actually a little boy who was in the back of the cab and might’ve been either laying down or was of small enough stature that the impact didn’t affect him the way it did Cotton. Further information as provided by the widow of Cotton has now clarified that the little boy was NOT in the vehicle, but that the second individual was another adult; as we said, CONFLICTING REPORTS from those on-scene have different versions going on.
Traffic was stalled for a time, resulting in the eyewitness reports coming in to Disclosure. Ordinarily, we wait for an official press release from ISP if they worked a wreck, but none had appeared as of this morning, and there’s been no response from inquiries, so we’re bringing the info to you as we have it, since so many people were aware of the accident (and published reports have indeed released Cotton’s name, so apparently family has been notified.)
If a press release is submitted, and depending on the timing of it, we’ll update this post with it if it’s soon, or in a separate post if it comes in later. Be watching.