McLeansboro man killed, two others injured in three-vehicle crash

By Jim Muir

A McLeansboro man was killed and two other people were injured in a multi-vehicle accident Wednesday night in rural Franklin County.

Fatally injured in the accident was 50-year-old Laverne F. Johnston, Jr., who died on impact according to Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler.

Leffler said Johnson’s vehicle was traveling east on Route 14, one-fourth mile east of North Thompsonville Road when he collided with a tractor pulling a bean drill.  The tractor was westbound on Route 14, according to authorities.  Franklin County Sheriff Department received the call reporting the accident and then a short time later received a second call that another vehicle had struck the tractor and also a pedestrian who had stopped to try and help direct traffic around the crash site.

The names of the driver of the tractor, the second vehicle and the pedestrian are being withheld at this time, Leffler said.  The driver of the second vehicle was airlifted from the scene and the pedestrian was transported by Abbott Ambulance Service to Franklin Hospital.  The driver of the tractor was not injured, Leffler said.

The accident is under investigation by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.  An autopsy will be performed on Johnson today.

This is the fourth fatality involving some type of vehicle accident in Franklin County since June 25th.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Speak Your Mind

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News