Union County traffic accident claims three lives

Three persons sustained fatal injuries in a traffic accident which happened early Wednesday afternoon, May 3, in Union County.

Illinois State Police District 22 at Ullin reported that the accident occurred at approximately 1:07 p.m. at 2375 Shiloh Rd. in a rural area east of Cobden.

Multiple emergency services personnel responded to the scene of the accident, which involved a single passenger car.

State police identified the persons who sustained fatal injuries in the accident as the driver of the car, Cassandra Payne, 28, of Herrin; a passenger in the vehicle, Derrell Smith, 28, of Belleville; and another passenger, a 1 1/2-year-old female.

State police reported that the car was traveling northbound on Shiloh Road, approximately .5 of a mile south of Nance Lane.

The car apparently ran off the right shoulder of the road, travelled through a shallow ditch and struck a tree, before coming to a rest.

Both the driver and the two passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.

A fourth person, another passenger in the vehicle, was injured and transported from the scene by helicopter.

State police had not initially released the names of the child or the other passenger.