Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen says individual killed in the Thursday afternoon crash on U.S. Route 51 has been identified as 62 year old Dianna Helton of Shobonier. Bowen says the cause of death is pending
Story from earlier today:
An individual was killed in a fiery crash Thursday afternoon in Fayette County. Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen says in a report that at about 12:46 pm on Thursday afternoon a vehicle with a single occupant traveling north bound on U.S. Route 51, near county road 1000N, left the roadway on the west side, traveling down an embankment in a ravine, crashing into a creek and then the vehicle burst into flames. The Vandalia Fire Department was called to the scene to extinguish the fire and assist with extraction. Bowen says the occupant/driver was burned beyond recognition and Bowen pronounced the individual dead at the scene at 1:20 pm. Bowen says an autopsy is scheduled for today, as well as making a positive identification. Bowen says the name of the victim will be released as soon as they are able to make the positive identification.