The Illinois State Police cited an Ashland woman for DUI on Friday night following a single-vehicle crash on Illinois Route 123 near Tallula.
According to a report from the Illinois State Police, at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 24, the Menard County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a single vehicle crash on Illinois Route 123 on East Main Street near Tallula. The call reported that the vehicle may have struck a utility pole. Deputies arrived on scene, assessed the situation, and met with the driver. A utility pole was impacted and the utility company was contacted to respond to the scene. Deputies secured and managed the scene until the arrival of ISP Troopers. ISP reports indicate that Gwendolyn M. Thomas, 45, of Ashland was operating a Ford Explorer and ran off the road and struck a stop sign and a tree. The ISP report did not indicate that the vehicle struck a utility pole.
No injuries or lane closures were reported. Thomas was cited for driving too fast for conditions and driving under the influence.
Thomas, a Republican, was sworn in as the Menard County State’s Attorney on January 31 after replacing Gabriel Grosboll. Grosboll was appointed as an at-large circuit judge for the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Thomas joined the Menard County State’s Attorney’s office in January 2023. Before that, Thomas was with the the Cass County firm of McClure, Brannan & Thomas where she was a general practitioner.