SESSER – A 12-year-old boy was killed after the bike he was riding was hit by a pickup truck Tuesday afternoon on Illinois 154 west of Sesser.

According to Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon, the sheriff’s office received a 911 call about the accident at the intersection of Illinois 154 and Circle M Road at 2:13 p.m. Deputies quickly responded to the scene. The driver of the pickup truck was not hurt.

The boy was riding his bike and was severely injured. He was flown from the scene for medical treatment. A short time later, the boy succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a regional hospital.

The preliminary crash investigation indicates that the pickup truck was traveling eastbound on Illinois 154 approaching the intersection of Circle M Road. The bicycle was southbound on Circle M Road approaching the intersection of Illinois 154. A witness to the crash, as well as the driver of the pickup truck, indicated that the bicycle proceeded into the intersection without stopping and was struck by the eastbound pickup truck.  

The crash is being investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit.   

The sheriff’s office thanks the Sesser Police Department, Sesser Fire Protection District, Franklin County Emergency Management Agency, Abbott Ambulance, AirEvac, and numerous passerby citizens for their assistance at the scene.