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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Thursday, February 14, 2008 8:50 PM CST
Eldery Neoga woman dies following wreck at railroad crossing

By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com

NEOGA — An elderly Neoga woman died Tuesday of “complications” following a rear-end collision late last week with a stopped livestock trailer, said officials.

Jessie E. Chesnut, 84, was pronounced dead at 8:48 p.m. Tuesday at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, said Champaign County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Fabian.

Her death likely resulted from “complications from the injuries from the motor vehicle crash,” Fabian said.

According to Neoga Police Chief Gerry Mattern, Jessie Chesnut was a passenger in the 1990 Buick Park Avenue driven by her husband, Dean M. Chesnut, also 84, of Neoga.

At 2:12 p.m. Friday, an International pickup truck towing a livestock trailer was stopped by a flagman at the Route 45 railroad crossing south of Neoga, and the Chesnut vehicle was northbound on Rt. 45 when it collided with the rear of the immobile trailer, Mattern said.

“They braked into it,” he said, noting the skid marks measured about 150 feet.

Both Chesnuts were transported by Neoga Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Effingham, and Jessie Chesnut then was airlifted to Urbana.

The driver of the pickup, Thomas F. Uthell, 35, of Teutopolis apparently was not injured, Mattern said.

Mr. Chesnut was ticketed for alleged failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Prior to the collision, an unidentified minivan reportedly swerved around the parked truck and trailer, bypassing the flagman and traveling through the railroad crossing in advance of an oncoming train, according to Mattern.

He said the crossing is marked by signal lights — which were active at the time of the accident — but no gates.

Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.

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