Coulterville Teen Killed

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ A Coulterville teenager was killed and three other victims in the same car remain in fair-to-critical condition at one or more St. Louis hospitals following a car-truck crash just off Shamrock Road northwest of Tamaroa Monday.

There was irony in the tragedy of a hand-written orange marker message in the back glass on the driver's side of a 1997 Chevy containing the teens that read "Peace, Love, Happiness."

Perry County Sheriff Keith Kellerman, one of several authorities and emergency personnel at the scene, said today his department received the 911 call reference to a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Alcon and Grosbeak Roads northwest of Tamaroa.

It's a very rural four-way intersection without stop signs.

Perry County deputies, the Tamaroa Fire Department and Pinckneyville Ambulance Service all responded directly to the accident scene as well as two medical evacuation helicopters from Arch Medical Evacuation Services of Sparta and Medivac Medical Services of Mount Vernon.

A 1997 Chevrolet car driven by Brianna Stehl, 17, of Pinckneyville was struck in the passenger side by a 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Travis Reidelberger, a Tamaroa native, now of Waltonville.

Stehl had three passengers in her vehicle--Thomas Bittle, 19, of Tamaroa; Danielle Burton, 17, of Pinckneyville and Charles Solt, 20, of Coulterville.

The pickup truck driver, Reidelberger, was taken to Pinckneyville Community Hospital for treatment.

Burton and Solt were taken to Pinckneyville Community Hospital and later transferred by medical helicopter to St. Louis hospitals.

Stehl and Bittle were both flown directly from the scene to St. Louis hospitals for treatment.

Solt passed away at the St. Louis Hospital from his injuries. Bittles is listed in critical condition. The condition of the other two is not known.

The Perry County Sheriff's Department is investigating the accident. Sheriff Kellerman said the intersection was relatively clear of obstructions. There was no high grass, a handful of nearby trees, but nothing that would completely block the view. Kellerman said his department has already begun the painstaking task of reconstructing the accident.

Kellerman said it is difficult to explain why some rural intersections benefit from full four-way stops. Other, less traveled roads, do not. He said all drivers should use extreme care when driving in rural areas.