An elderly man died over the weekend after his motorcycle collided with an SUV in Stonington, Illinois. The Christian County Sheriff’s Office said Larry D. Yochum, an 80-year-old resident of Decatur, died in the accident on Saturday evening, August 22nd.
The CCSO divulged in a press statement that the crash involved a Ford SUV and a motorcycle operated by the fatal victim. The motorbike was traveling westbound on 2300 North Road. At the same time, the SUV was southbound on 1900 East Road. Both vehicles collided at the intersection.
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Yochum suffered critical injuries from the impact. The Christian County Coroner, Amy Winanas, pronounced him dead at the scene a short while later. Christian County Fire Department personnel, the Christian County Sheriff’s deputies, and the Stonington Police officers were among the first responders. The Illinois State Police also assisted at the crash site.
Autopsy reports released on Sunday ruled Yochum’s cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries suffered in an accident. Pending toxicology results would confirm if the elderly man was under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances when the crash happened.
The Crash Reconstruction Unit of the ISP and the CCSO are handling the investigation into the traffic collision.
Among the leading causes of car-motorcycle accidents are speed, intoxication, and improper lane usage. Along intersections, failure to observe red lights and stop signs are major culprits in these types of accidents. Additionally, visual or cognitive impairment contribute to these accidents among elderly riders.
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