Boy drowns in a backyard pool in Morris

A Father’s Day poolside with the family turned out to be anything but happy for a family in Morris. A three-year-old died Sunday after drowning in a backyard swimming pool.

Grundy County Coroner John Callahan says Liam Vaughn was at a family member’s home in Morris swimming and eating with his parents when he went into the pool without his water floats.

Callahan says the father, Mark Vaughn, thought his son was by the food when within a moment the father realized his son wasn’t by the food and saw the boy face-down in the pool.

The parents tried to revive the boy but he later was pronounced dead at Morris Hospital. An examination was done Sunday night. An investigation continues.

Roadside fire causes hazards

A blazing semi tractor created an obstacle for firefighters and travelers on Interstate 80 near Marseilles.

Marseilles Fire Chief Michael Garrison says they had little room to work on the fire that was on the shoulder of the highway Sunday afternoon.  Garrison says a driver hauling plastic pill bottles had to pull over when the tractor’s engine suddenly quit. Somehow the tractor caught fire destroying it and about 90% of the trailer. The driver was okay. Fire personnel were there for 90 minutes.
Garrison says besides the danger of being hit while working along traffic, firemen potentially can be arrested for shutting down a road.

Truck drives over sunbather

A central Illinois woman was hurt after being run over by a pickup truck while she was sunbathing.

The State Journal-Register in Springfield reports that 23-year-old Amanda Clark of Loami was sunbathing near a Lake Springfield boat launch on Saturday when the accident happened.

The truck’s driver was 48-year-old James Mordacq of Springfield. He told police he was looking at the lake while negotiating the curve off a sailboat launch when he accidentally ran over the lower part of Clark’s body. No citations were issued.

The newspaper reported that Clark was in serious condition at Memorial Medical Center on Saturday.

A hospital spokeswoman said Sunday that she could not release any information because of patient privacy laws.

La Salle deli closes

A 10-month-old La Salle business has closed their doors, but their food will still be around.
Michael and Esteban Villareal stated on Facebook that Saturday would be the last day for Mareta Deli at 148 Gooding. The say low sales and family responsibilities are the reasons.  They stressed that their Leonore manufacturing facility remains open and that their frozen product line would still be available through local grocery stores.

Murder investigation centered on Dwight home

Police say that 2 people are dead and another is injured after a shooting in a Livingston County village early yesterday morning.

During a press conference yesterday afternoon, Dwight Police said that a man who was shot called authorities just before 4:30 a.m yesterday morning. Police arrived on the scene to find 2 women dead and the man lying on the floor.

The Bloomington Pantagraph has reported that no arrests have been made. The man has undergone surgery.

Police did not identify the 3 individuals and could not confirm whether all 3 lived at the house.

Police Chief Tim Henson says authorities will not “let any stone go unturned” as they investigate.

Anyone with information has been asked to call the Dwight police department at 815-584-3132.

Brush pile blamed for destroying a shed in Tonica

Fire destroyed a wooden shed and damaged a nearby corn crib and well house near Tonica.   Firefighters were called just before 6pm Saturday.

Tonica and Oglesby Departments responded. One firefighter suffered a minor burn and was treated at Illinois Valley Community Hospital.   After the fire was out,  Tonica firefighters had to return because a couple of limbs on a tree were smoking.

Tonica Fire Department spokesman Rick Turri says the fire was started by a brush pile.