Sparta man suffers fatal injuries in motorcycle accident

A 76-year-old Sparta resident suffered fatal injuries in a two-vehicle accident on Thursday on State Route 4 near Mudline Road in rural Vergennes.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, emergency services responded to the report of an accident involving a motorcycle and a box truck at 1:07 p.m.

A 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Lindle Pickering was traveling westbound on Route 4 when an eastbound 2014 Isuzu box truck - driven by 37-year-old Christopher Robinson of Hartford, Ill. - turned left onto Mudline Road in front of the motorcycle.

Pickering, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his machine and suffered life-threatening injuries. Good samaritans at the scene performed CPR on Pickering until first responders and paramedics arrived.

Pickering was transported to St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro and later succumbed to his injuries at 2:01 p.m. Robinson, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not injured and has been cited for failure to yield turning left.

An accident reconstruction officer from the JCSO is investigating the crash. The Jackson County Ambulance Service, Vergennes Volunteer Fire Department and Ava police and fire departments were among those who responded to the scene.