Charles Clinard dies in fatal Coles County car crash
Fatal Coles County car crash death of Charles Clinard of Mattoon
An official confirmation from the Coles County Coroner has revealed that two men were killed in two distinct automobile accidents that occurred on Thursday. The identities of the deceased have been identified, with one being a 61-year-old resident of Mattoon involved in a fiery collision.
Further details were provided later in the day, specifying that the incidents happened on Illinois Route 16 eastbound, less than two miles apart, and resulted in no other injuries from the involved personnel.
Based on the investigation, the first crash transpired at 5:43 p.m. when a semi-truck collided with a passenger car east of Lerna Road near the Coles County Memorial Airport. The driver of the passenger car, a 84-year-old man from Neoga, was pronounced dead at the scene and was alone in his vehicle.
The second accident occurred at 8:53 p.m. approximately a mile and a half west, involving a pickup truck that struck an Illinois Department of Transportation vehicle that was assisting with the ongoing reconstruction efforts from the first crash. The pickup truck’s operator, Charles Clinard, died from the resulting fire and was the only occupant.
Due to the first crash, eastbound lanes were shut down from Lerna Road to the Sarah Busch Lincoln Hospital entrance in Mattoon, prompting the presence of an Illinois State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit. This team aided in managing the extended closure, with the lanes reopening overnight.
Separately, the junction near the second crash site was temporarily closed but has since been reopened, with the State Police unit providing support at both locations.
Coroner Ed Schniers stated that both crashes happened on the same stretch of Route 16 between Mattoon and Charleston, each leading to a single fatality. While specifics about the first incident are scarce, it is known to have occurred east of Lerna Road. The second crash involved an IDOT truck blocking the road, and the driver of the pickup truck was not present during the collision.
Attempts to gather more information from IDOT, the Illinois State Police, and the Mattoon Fire Department were made, but responses are pending as of now.
