A 24-year-old Godfrey man has been charged in connection with a traffic crash that resulted in the death of an elderly man.

Jacob L. Fickle, of 204 Mercury Drive, was charged with leaving the scene of a traffic accident resulting in a death, a felony.

According to police reports, at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday a sport utility vehicle plowed into a house in the 100 block of Saturn Drive, killing Marlin F. Bushnell who was inside the home.

Officers got a call a few minutes before the fatal crash about a domestic disturbance a block away on Mercury Drive, police said.

The suspected driver of the vehicle, who was identified by family members as Fickle, fled the scene on foot after crashing into the home. Deputies located Fickle on the parking lot of the Beer Barrel Pub in Godfrey. Fickle was taken into custody and transported to the Madison County Jail.

In addition to the felony charge, Fickle was also charged with two counts of domestic battery, a misdemeanor, in connection with the original disturbance. Fickle allegedly battered two separate family members during the disturbance and forcefully took the keys to the suspect vehicle from one of the victims, according to police.

Fickle was also issued traffic citations for driving while license revoked and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Fickle is currently being held on $150,000 bail.

Capt. Mike Dixon said the investigation is ongoing as the department is waiting on lab results to determine if Fickle was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the traffic crash.

The Madison County Sheriff's Department is familiar with Fickle, who was arrested in June in connection with thefts of air conditioning units from residential properties in the Godfrey area. Fickle allegedly sold the metal from the stolen air conditioners and used the money to feed his heroin addiction, according to police.

Contact reporter Jamie Forsythe at 239-2562 or jforsythe1@bnd.com.