Staff Report

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department released more information this morning regarding a fatal crash Wednesday night that took place on Route 14 east of Benton.

According to the report Lavern F. Johnson, 50, of McLeansboro, was killed at 9:15 p.m. when he struck a tractor pulling a bean drill and traveling west on Route 14 a short distance from North Thompsonville Road.  The tractor was being operated by Steven S. Browning, 47, of Benton and according to the police report was taking up all the westbound lane and protruding into the eastbound lane.  Johnson, who was traveling eastbound, was driving a 1998 Mercury Sable and died on impact, according to Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler.

At 9:26 p.m. a second vehicle being driven by Mary Stich, 71, of Dahlgren, Illinois, struck the implement.  Stich received major injuries and had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Ewing-Northern Fire Department.  Stich was airlifted from the scene by Air-Evac and taken to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville with major injuries.  She is listed in critical condition.

A third person was also injured in the crash according to authorities.  Kurtis T. Hunter, 49, of Johnston City, had stopped after the first crash and was out of his vehicle calling 911 when he was struck by the vehicle driven by Stich after she hit the implement.  Hunter received injuries to his legs and was transported to Franklin Hospital by Abbott’s EMS.  He was treated and released.

Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones said a reconstruction team is working on putting details of the crash together.  He also said that citations are pending.  State police also assisted with the accident which closed Route 14 for approximately four hours.