Logan County youth loses life in morning accident

[February 22, 2007]  EMDEN -- A rural Emden high school student lost his life while driving this morning. Eighteen-year-old Paul Klokkenga was believed to driving to Hartsburg to catch a bus going to a Lincoln trade school this morning when his late-model pickup truck and another pickup collided. The other vehicle was driven by Tim Smith, 47, also from the Emden area.

Details of the accident are not yet available. The Logan County Sheriff's Department and Illinois State Police accident reconstructionists, led by ISP investigator Dan Renzy, were still working at the scene at the time of this report.

The accident occurred on the Emden spur, which is the first intersection south of Emden, at the corner of 2600th Street and 700th Avenue in Orville Township.

The drivers were the only occupants of both pickups. The driver of the white pickup was taken by ambulance to ALMH and then transported by helicopter to St. John's Hospital. His condition was unknown.

Also attending the scene were Emden Fire and Rescue, Logan County Paramedics, and the Logan County coroner's office.

Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said that an autopsy on Klokkenga is scheduled for Friday morning at Memorial Hospital by Dr. Hein.

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