Bethalto family dies in crash after other driver didn’t stop at sign, coroner says

A Bethalto family of three died Friday in a crash that occurred after the driver of another vehicle went through a stop sign, the Madison County Coroner’s Office reported Saturday.

John A. Cafazza, 55; Melissa R. Cafazza, 52; and Dominic J. Cafazza, 12, died in the crash, according to a news release from Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn.

The 18-year-old driver of the other vehicle was taken to a St. Louis hospital with non-life threatening injuries. His name was not released.

Just before the crash, John Cafazza was driving a BMW 595I and came to a stop at the intersection of Bethalto Road and McCoy Road in Foster Township.

Witnesses said a 2003 GMC Sierra was going east at a “high rate of speed” on McCoy Road and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection, according to the news release.

The GMC collided with the driver’s side of the BMW, which was attempting to make a left turn onto McCoy Road from Bethalto Road, Nonn said.

The Cafazza family was pronounced deceased at the scene by a coroner’s investigator.

The crash remains under investigation by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, the Madison County Coroner’s Office and the Metro East Crash Assistance Team.

Funeral arrangements for the family are pending.

This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 3:04 PM.