William Collier dies in fatal South Peoria vehicle theft incident

William Collier dies in fatal South Peoria vehicle theft incident

Fatal South Peoria vehicle theft death of William Collier – Obituary

William Collier, a 70-year-old resident of Bartonville, lost his life following a violent car theft incident in South Peoria on Monday.

According to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, Collier was critically injured when two suspects stole a vehicle from Billie Jo’s Towing on the 1500 block of West Lincoln Avenue.

During the theft, the suspects forced the stolen car through a closing gate at high speed, injuring Collier and another employee.

Collier was taken to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center where, despite emergency medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries early Tuesday morning at 4:58 a.m. An autopsy revealed that his death was caused by severe head trauma and multiple blunt force injuries.

The Peoria Police Department is still investigating the incident and no suspect information has been released at this time. Authorities are urging anyone with knowledge about the case to reach out to the police department directly, use the tip411 app for anonymous submissions, or contact Crime Stoppers.