Union County traffic wreck claims two lives
<p class="p1">Two persons sustained fatal injuries in a traffic accident which occurred last week in Union County.</p><p class="p1">The victims were identified by Illinois State Police as a Southeast Missouri man and an 18-month-old boy.</p><p class="p1">State police reported that the accident happened at about 12:57 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11.</p><p class="p1">The crash occurred on Illinois Route 146, .1 of a mile east of Locust Grove Road.</p><p class="p1">A 2012 Toyota Yaris and a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze were involved in the accident, state police reported.</p><p class="p1">The driver of the Toyota was identified as Lenzie M. Johnson, 43, of Cape Girardeau.</p><p class="p1">The 18-month-old boy was a passenger in the Toyota.</p><p class="p1">The driver of the Cruze was identified as a 66-year-old woman from Piedmont, Missouri. </p><p class="p1">The drivers in both units were wearing seatbelts, state police reported. The child was in a safety seat.</p><p class="p1">State police gave the following account of the accident:</p><p class="p1">The Toyota was traveling west on Illinois Route 146 near Locust Grove Road. The Chevrolet was traveling east.</p><p class="p1">The Toyota traveled into the eastbound lane for unknown reasons on a hill crest.</p><p class="p1">The driver of the Chevrolet attempted to move to the right, but was struck head-on by the Toyota.</p><p class="p1">The driver of the Toyota was transported to Union County Hospital in Anna, where he was pronounced dead.</p><p class="p1">The child was flown to a St. Louis hospital. State police were notified at about 3:45 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, that the child had died. The child's name was not immediately available.</p><p class="p1">The driver of the Chevrolet was transported to a Cape Girardeau hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.</p><p class="p1">As a result of the accident, traffic on Illinois Route 146 was delayed and rerouted for several hours.</p><p class="p1">Union County Coroner Phil Hileman said that an autopsy was to be conducted on the Southeast Missouri man who died in the accident. </p><p class="p1">A Cape Girardeau funeral home was handling arrangements for the man.</p>