Man charged in Belleville fatal hit-and-run case, police say
A 74-year-old Mascoutah man was charged Tuesday with failure to report an accident involving death, which is a felony offense.
Robert J. Wedig faces the charge in connection with the hit-and-run collision that killed a 33-year-old Mascoutah woman on Aug. 21 on Green Mount Road near Eckert’s in Belleville.
The woman, who was identified by St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. as Emily Johnson of the 300 block of Augusta Street in Mascoutah, died in the emergency room at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon.
Belleville police located the vehicle that was involved in the collision and arrested the driver. This person was released a short time later and police said the case was under review by the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office.
When officers were dispatched to the scene of the accident in the 900 block of South Green Mount Road, they learned that the driver who struck the female pedestrian had fled the scene before first responders arrived.
Police knew the victim had life-threatening injuries at the time she was found, Belleville Police Master Sgt. Dan Collins said at the time.
Police sought the public’s help in locating the driver.
Collins said “exemplary” detective work led to the arrest.
Wedig and his attorney both appeared before St. Clair County Associate Judge Sara Rice at the St. Clair County courthouse on Tuesday, Collins said.
Court records show a pretrial release order was filed Tuesday for Wedig and no pretrial supervision was required.
This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 6:31 PM.
