Crash on the I-74 Highway

Woman was pronounced dead this morning after a rock the size of a football crashed through the windshield of her car, splitting her head open. Champaign resident, Emily Sawyer, was driving her mother to church in St. Joseph when the 10 pound rock hit the car causing it to crash into a railing separating oncoming traffic on I-74. Earlier that morning, police received a report of young males throwing debris from the overpass just before the 8 a.m. accident. This is also the second time in a year that an object has been thrown off this same overpass. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, but several motorists stopped by to help.

Sawyer was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital and declared DOA, while her mother, Celine Taylor, was treated for a broken arm and multiple bruises. She was said to be, “disoriented” after the accident.

Emily was the mother of 3 children all younger than the age of 10 and daughter to her 86-year-old mother. Her two sisters, Felicity Shrove and Donna Taylor, issued this statement at the hospital: “This was a senseless tragedy. Emily was a wonderful mother and caring daughter. Who would do this to a perfect stranger, just for kicks?…We hope that steps can be taken to prevent this from happening to anyone else.” Anyone with information about the accident can call Champaign County Crimestoppers at (217)-373-TIPS.