Highland area police briefs: Aug. 11-17

Troy woman dies after veering off I-55 exit ramp

A 30-year-old Troy woman died Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 15 after police say she lost control of her car and struck a box truck stopped at a light on Illinois 162 in Troy.

Troy Police Chief Brad Parsons said Michelle Lee Crooks was taking the Interstate 55 southbound exit ramp when she drove her Ford Fusion through a patch of landscaping, scraped a light pole and drove through the westbound lanes of Route 162.

She then struck a box truck that was sitting at a red light in the eastbound lanes.

“There was no indication she touched her brakes at all,” Parsons said. “We are not sure if it was a medical (issue) or what happened — but she never touched her brakes.”

A driver and passenger in the box truck were taken to the hospital. A third passenger suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene of the accident.

No one else was in Crooks’ car at the time of the accident.

Police closed the eastbound lanes of Illinois 162 on the overpass for approximately an hour after the crash.

“We know something caused it and, ultimately, we won’t know why she didn’t slow down,” Parsons said. “We just know from the physical evidence that she didn’t slow and didn’t brake.”

Cooks worked at Lumiere Casino in St. Louis.

A funeral service was held Sunday. Richeson Funeral Home in Troy was in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to her children.

Passenger killed in crash tried to grab steering wheel, driver tells police

A 35-year-old woman died early Friday morning after she was partially ejected from a Jeep in which she was a passenger on Illinois 4, just south of Illinois 140.

Police responded to the one-car accident at 12:08 a.m., according to Illinois Trooper Calvin Dye Jr.

A 2003 Jeep veered off the roadway, went down into a ditch and struck a tree on the passenger side of the vehicle.

The driver, a 27-year-old Collinsville man, was flown to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. The woman was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene, Dye said.

“We went to interview the driver at the hospital, and he stated the female passenger grabbed the wheel, causing him to run off the roadway,” Dye said. “The driver stated he was able to gain control of his vehicle on her first attempt, then she grabbed it again causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and hit a tree.”

Dye said troopers were still investigating the accident and whether the driver’s statements were true.

The identities of the driver and passenger were not immediately released.

Officers shut down all of Illinois 4 in the area for nearly four hours while they investigated, Dye said. The area is southeast of Hamel.

HPD warrant arrests

▪ Kaleb M. Streeb, 23, of Highland, was arrested Aug. 14 on a warrant from Highland police for failure to appear in court on charges of driving while having a suspended license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, and illegal transportation of alcohol. He was taken to the Madison County Jail.

▪ Joshewa L. Wylie, 36, of Granite City, was arrested Aug. 15 by HPD on a warrant from Granite City police for failure to appear in court on two counts of domestic battery. He posted bond and was released.

▪ Fallon M. Eaton, 33, of Troy, was arrested by HPD on Aug. 17 of a warrant from Collinsville police charging Eaton with possession of methamphetamine. Eaton was turned over to Collinsville police.

HPD misdemeanors, tickets, citations

Aug. 11

▪ No tickets issued.

Aug. 12

▪ Austin J. Nix, 19, of Highland, was charged with violation of driver’s license class, aggravated reckless driving, fleeing/attempting to elude a police officer, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and speeding.

▪ Glenda L. Hock, 75, of Highland, was charged with improper lane usage.

Aug. 13

▪ No tickets issued.

Aug. 14

▪ Zakary R. Huff, 28, of Granite City, was charged with operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and driving while having a suspended/revoked license.

▪ Ashley N. Parr, 29, of Belleville, was charged with operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and improper use of registration.

Aug. 15

▪ Traig J. Henson, 27, of Edwardsville, was charged with having an expired vehicle registration.

▪ A juvenile, 16, of Highland, was charged with speeding.

▪ Christopher C. Parr, 28, of Pocahontas, was charged with having an expired vehicle registration.

Aug. 16

▪ No tickets issued.

Aug. 17

▪ Kelly Anne Growe, 23, of Highland, was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and making an improper turn.

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Highland area police briefs: Aug. 11-17."