One teen was killed and another injured in a single vehicle accident that followed a brief police chase early this morning east of Jacksonville.
Morgan County sheriff Mike Carmody is not releasing either of the names pending the notification of next of kin. He did say both were 19. One is from Jacksonville, and the other, pronounced dead at the scene, is from Missouri.
Carmody said the chase began about 3 AM when a Morgan County patrol car was westbound on Morton, and an eastbound vehicle was travelling at a high rate of speed at the viaduct on East Morton. The squad car activated its lights.
Carmody said the other vehicle stopped, did a 180 degree turn, and fled westbound on Morton. The police car followed, but lost the vehicle when the driver shut off its lights.
Carmody said it was last seen travelling east on 36.
He said 9-1-1 dispatch then received a call about 15 minutes later, reporting an accident off Witty Road on the railroad tracks.
Carmody says the vehicle left the blacktop and turned onto the tracks. He believes the driver lost control, and the vehicle struck a pole.
The driver, who was found walking along the road, was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Carmody believes alcohol was involved in the accident. Tickets may be issued pending further investigation.
Route 36 was closed for a period of time this morning early while state police officers did an accident re-construction.