Coroner IDs metro-east woman killed in crash while 21-year-old trying to pass

UPDATE 10-24-25: This story has been updated with a correction from the coroner on the spelling of the victim’s last name.

A 61-year-old rural Waterloo woman was killed in a head-on vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon near Columbia, according to a news release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

Capt. Justin Biggs reported early Thursday afternoon that the preliminary investigation found that a 2005 Buick Rendezvous SUV driven by a 21-year-old Millstadt man was traveling north on Bluff Road when he attempted to pass another northbound vehicle.

The SUV entered the southbound lane and struck a 2021 Honda Accord driven by the Waterloo woman at 5:23 p.m. between Bottom Road and Steppig Road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

“(The unnamed male driver) was transported by Columbia EMS to a St. Louis area hospital, where he was treated for injuries and later released,” the news release stated.

Later Thursday afternoon, Monroe County Coroner Bob Hill identified the deceased woman as Kathleen Francescon. He also provided a few more details on the accident.

“Both vehicles made an evasive move toward the field on the west side of the road,” he stated in an email. “Unfortunately, both vehicles made impact head on in the field. “

Hill noted that Francescon was wearing a seat belt.

The accident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Monroe County Coroner’s Office.

This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM.