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Logan County Coroner Robert Thomas presided over the inquest, while
six jurors and two alternates were presented evidence and reached a
verdict. Approximately 45 people were in attendance, including the
families of the two survivors. The jurors heard testimony from two
Logan County deputy coroners, Les Payne and Doug Brooks, and from
Rick Price, an Illinois State Police trooper who testified as the
accident reconstructionist. Payne and Brooks, along with Thomas,
were all at the scene of the accident in February.
Brooks presented the autopsy findings for Katelyn "Katie" A.
McCarty, 19, of Taylorville. Payne presented the findings for the
other three deceased: Ross B. Conrady, 18, Elkhart; Katherine
"Katie" Carpentier, 15, Lincoln; and Christopher J. McGlasson, 19,
Middletown.
The single-vehicle accident occurred on Feb. 15 at 11:28 p.m. at
the 200 block of 1300th Street, a county road in rural Middletown
that is more commonly known as "Polecat Hill." The deaths were
pronounced at the scene on Feb. 16 at 12:02 a.m., with the exception
of Katelyn McCarty, who was pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m. in the
emergency room at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln.
The coronor's office set up the case with Jessica H. Bowman, a
forensics pathologist with Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.
Bowman's results were presented Thursday night by the two deputy
coroners.
Brooks presented Bowman's conclusions for Katelyn McCarty.
McCarty was ejected from the vehicle, and the cause of death was
accidental blunt force injury to the head. She was transported to
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead. Brooks
was also present that night at the hospital.
Payne testified as to Bowman's results of the three other
accident victims. The cause of death for Conrady, Carpentier and
McGlasson was blunt force injury to the head due to motor vehicle
incident (single vehicle). Ross Conrady, who was the driver of the
vehicle, suffered massive blunt force injury. All three also had
severe thermal injury to the body due to fire -- but after death.
The three were transported to Springfield from the scene of the
accident.
Toxicology results from Memorial Medical Center concluded that
none of the six people in the vehicle had any alcohol or drugs in
their system except for McGlasson, who had a trace alcohol reading
of .018.
It was determined that Conrady was the driver of the vehicle;
Carpentier was the front seat middle passenger; and survivor Rickord
was on the front seat passenger's side. McGlasson was the back seat
passenger on the driver's side; McCarty was sitting in the middle
space in the back seat; and survivor Schoonover was on the back seat
passenger's side.
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Price, the state trooper, testified that on the night of the
accident, the skies were clear, the winds were calm, the roads were
dry, and there was no fog or rain. The temperature was 19.4 degrees,
with visibility at 10 miles. According to Price's testimony, the
pickup truck carrying six passengers was traveling westbound in the
eastbound lane when it crested the hill at an estimated speed of
78-88 mph. The vehicle went out of control prior to impact, sliding
driver's side first off the road. The driver's side of the truck
struck two large trees on the north side of road. None of the
occupants in the vehicle were wearing seat belts. There was no
evidence of another vehicle or animal involved in the accident. The
roadway did not have any defects, nor were there any mechanical
defects that could have been contributing factors. The speed limit
was 55 mph. The vehicle caught on fire at the scene.
Price also testified to the massiveness of the impact. An
aluminum tool box in the truck traveled 200 feet from the vehicle;
the tailgate was found at a distance of 121 feet from the impact
scene; and the truck liner went 136 feet. The impact also split the
frame of the truck in two on the passenger side.
The jury concurred with the testimony and determined that the
manner of death for all four victims was accidental, due to blunt
force injury to the head due to motor vehicle incident (single
vehicle).
"The inquest is over -- we've determined cause and manner of the
kids' death. … We feel we've got some accurate information out to
the public," said Thomas this morning, who also wanted people to
realize they need to be careful when they're behind the wheel.
Thomas said permanent death certificates will be released and placed
on file at City Hall.
Thomas also indicated that Rickord and Schoonover are expected to
recover from their injuries. The two LCHS graduates attend
Springfield College in Illinois -- Benedictine University.
[By GEOFF LADD, LDN staff]
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