On Friday, February 27, 202,6 at approximately 5:29 p.m., Clinton Police, Clinton Fire, and  DeWitt County EMS responded to the report of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle at the intersection of Illinois Route 54 and Illini Drive.

Upon arrival, the investigation revealed that a 2011 GMC Canyon was traveling westbound on Illinois Route 54, approaching the intersection of Illini Drive. The driver of the pickup truck reported being blinded by the setting sun and unable to determine the color of the traffic signal upon approach of the intersection, slowing to a near stop. Upon closer approach, both the driver of the truck and an eastbound traveling witness confirmed that the eastbound/westbound signal light was green, and the driver proceeded to accelerate into the intersection, at which time a southbound walking pedestrian was struck by the front driver’s side of the westbound truck. It is noted that the sidewalks/crosswalks for said intersection are on the west and south sides of the intersection, and the pedestrian was crossing on the east side of the intersection, where no crosswalk or pedestrian signal was present.

The pedestrian was identified as a 79-year-old Clinton woman, who was alert and
conscious upon arrival and transported via ambulance and ultimately helicopter to Carle Hospital in Champaign with serious injuries. The names of the involved parties are being withheld at this time.

Clinton Police were assisted in the investigation by the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit