A recent crash on Lake Jacksonville has claimed the life of an Iowa man. Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed this morning in a press release that 76-year-old Richard Krier of Indianola, Iowa was pronounced deceased at 2:03 Wednesday morning while an inpatient at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
Allmon says EMS were on scene for the boat races when the incident occurred last Friday, September 8th. Krier was operating a race boat on Lake Jacksonville when it flipped over.
According to a report by the Shaw Local News Network, Krier was returning down the back stretch after completing his last race in the 250 Runabout on Lake Jacksonville when the incident occurred. Witnesses say they saw Krier’s boat up in the air but none saw exactly what had happened.
According to the report, Paul Bosnich Jr. said they got Krier to shore, and then fellow racers who were also EMTs took him by ambulance to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital where he was then air-lifted to a Springfield trauma center.
Allmon says Krier’s death was a result of multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash. The death remains under investigation by the Sangamon County Coroner’s Office. Allmon says his office requested accident report information as per protocol but was informed none were available.
The Jacksonville Police Department, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, and Illinois State Police have confirmed to WLDS News that they were not called in to assist with the crash.
Officials said that a crash of this nature that happens on the water would normally be investigated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. A request for information from IDNR on any possible involvement has not been returned as of press time.