Authorities said the dump truck driver who fatally struck a woman Monday morning at an Auburn Township gas station was intoxicated at the time of the incident.
Sixty-two-year-old Obaidah Gresham, of Auburn, died as a result of the crash, which occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Monday, the Illinois State Police reported. The truck driver, 43-year-old Bennie L. Jackson, of Auburn, was not injured, authorities said.
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Jackson was arrested Tuesday on several charges, many of them felonies. They include multiple counts of aggravated driving under the influence, reckless homicide and official misconduct by a public employee. He also was cited with driving under the influence, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, improper lane usage and not wearing a seatbelt.
If convicted, Jackson faces years in prison. An experienced drunk driving attorney will represent him at upcoming court hearings.
Jackson at about 11:30 a.m. Monday was driving an Auburn Township dump truck on Illinois 4 when he lost control of the vehicle on a curve near Lincoln Street, troopers said. The truck rolled through a ditch and across Lincoln street before entering the gas station parking lot, where Gresham was struck.
Sangamon County officials pronounced Gresham dead a little more than one hour after she was struck.
Prosecutors said Jackson was under the influence of both methamphetamine and cocaine when he lost control of his vehicle. He remains held on a $750,000 bond at the Sangamon County Jail.
Jackson is set to be arraigned Thursday, a formal charging procedure during which he will need to be represented by a drunk driving attorney.
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