Herrin Woman Killed in Head-on Du Quoin Crash

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A 26-year-old Herrin woman died as the result of a head-on crash east of Du Quoin at approximately 7:10 p.m. Saturday evening.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Parker-Reedy Funeral Home in West Frankfort for Chasity L. Baker, 26, one of four crash victims. The others received minor injuries.

The accident happened on the Old Du Quoin Blacktop east of the city, approximately 94 feet south of Eastgate Estates Road which leads from the blacktop into a subdivision.

Illinois State Police at the District 13 command in Du Quoin said Baker was southbound on Old Du Quoin Blacktop in a Chevrolet S10 pickup truck when a northbound SUV driven by Eugene T. Rodely, 17, of Du Quoin swerved into the southbound lane and hit the truck head-on.

The truck rolled into a ditch. Baker was fatally injured and her passenger, Kirstan R. Innis, 17, also of Herrin, suffered minor injuries and was treated at Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin.

Rodely and his passenger, Amber A. Knapp, 17, of Du Quoin were not wearing seat belts and had minor injuries. They were treated at Marshall Browning Hospital.

Rodely was cited for improper lane usage.

Both vehicles received major damage and were towed from the scene by Watts Towing of Du Quoin. State Police were assisted by officers from the City of Du Quoin, the Perry County Sheriff's Department, Du Quoin firemen and the Pinckneyville Ambulance Service.