Thursday, March 6, 2008

Zach is coming home

"Zach is coming home to Lincoln today! Basically, he did so well in Rehab that he has met all of his goals. He was limited on what he could do in rehab since he can only bear weight on his right leg. He will continue with physical therapy in the home 2-3 times a week since it's so difficult to transport him. He will follow up with his pelvis surgeon in approx. four weeks for x-rays and depending on how it looks, he may be able to begin outpatient physical therapy with partial weight bearing on his left leg and begin to learn to walk again using both legs. It's still a long road for him, however, he is doing so well and has a really good attitude. We are just thrilled to be bringing him home. Please continue to keep him in your prayers as his journey to healing continues from home..........

Bev Felton, Zach's mom "

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Zach Rickord's condition

"Zach has been transferred to Memorial Medical Center's Inpatient Rehabilitation Center where he will remain for approximately 2-3 weeks. He is recovering from a severe skull fracture, multiple pelvis fractures and we just received word on Monday that his bladder rupture has healed itself. He will be receiving 3-4 hours of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy and psychiatric therapy Monday thru Friday, one hour on Saturdays and has Sundays off to rest. His current goal is to come home in a tilt, reclining wheel chair until his pelvis fracture heals which will take approximately 6-8 weeks. He will then begin outpatient rehabiliation to learn to walk again. His skull fracture was very severe but is currently stable with the use of a neck brace with an additioanl support brace that adds stabilization down to his ribs and lower back. That will remain in place for approximately 6-8 weeks and then we should know whether or not surgery will be needed, hopefully not. Visiting hours are Monday thru Friday from 4-8 p.m. and week-ends from noon -8 p.m. We appreciate everyone's support, prayers and visits. Zach has a long road ahead of him but he is a strong young man and we are so grateful he is with us today. Please continue keeping him in your prayers and cards, visits and calls are always welcome. His room number at MMC is ****.

Zach's Mom,"

Thank Bev Felton for this

Saturday, February 23, 2008

A video by Jillian



Thank you Jillian

More on the windows decals

ok they are $5 for every purchase $1 will go to each family
They are currently on back order but you can order them
if you would like one contact Sabra or just contact me and I'll contact her

here is black and white prototype


Here is a picture of actual decal (it has a piece of paper over it to protect the stickiness)
it stick oh the inside of your windows so if you have darkly tinted windows probably wont be able to see it



again if you would like one they are $5 you can contact Sabra or contact me and i will contact Sabra for you
dannyreed@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A few of WandTV Channel 17 broadcasts


Wandtv Channel 17 - The best free videos are right here


Wandtv Channel 17 2/19/08 - The top video clips of the week are here

Funeral arrangements, schedules for teens killed in Logan County crash - Wandtv.com

"Funeral arrangements, schedules for teens killed in Logan County crash

Posted: Feb 19, 2008 10:09 AM

Updated: Feb 19, 2008 04:53 PM

Chris McGlasson
Visitation 4-8pm
Thursday, February 21st
Jefferson St. Christian Church in Lincoln

Funeral 10:30am
Friday, February 22nd
Jefferson St. Christian Church in Lincoln

Ross Conrady
Visitation 4-8pm
Wednesday, February 20th
Lincoln Community High School

Funeral 10am
Thursday, February 21st
Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln

Katie Carpentier
Memorial Service 12-3pm
Saturday, February 24th
Jefferson Street Christian Church

Open Visitation 12-2pm
Memorial Service 2-3pm

Katelyn "Katie" McCarty
Visitation 4-7pm
Tuesday, February 19th
First Presbyterian Church
Taylorville

Funeral 10 am
Wednesday, February 20th
First Presbyterian Church
Taylorville"

http://www.wandtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7892471&nav=menu589_2

Engineer to analyze site of Logan County crash - wandtv.com

"Engineer to analyze site of Logan County crash

Posted: Feb 20, 2008 04:27 PM

A highway department is trying to make sure a crash which killed four teens last week doesn't happen again on the same stretch of road.

The accident happened Friday night near Middletown in Logan County.

The Logan County Sheriff's Department says the teens were riding in a pickup truck that hit a tree at the bottom of a hill. Authorities still don't know why the truck left the road.

This week the highway department plans to go out to the crash site to see what can be improved to make the hill as safe as possible.

"We will be going out there to take a look at the roadway to analyze any safety hazards that may occur there on the roadway," said Logan County Highway Engineer Bret Aukamp. "We will be looking at sight distances, taking a look at any tree's that may be encroaching on the roadway."

Engineers say more signs may be added after the roadway assessment is done."

http://www.wandtv.com/global/story.asp?s=7900913

WICS - ABC Channel 20 News Video 2/20/08 6am


Wics Abc Channel 20 6am 2/20/08 -

Cause of crash that killed four teens still unknown - State Journal Register

"Authorities still cannot say for sure what led a pickup carrying six area teenagers to go off a rural road and slam into a tree at the bottom of a hill near Middletown, killing four of them.

Advertisement
“We’re going to have to wait for the (Illinois State Police) reconstructionists to give us that information,” Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said Tuesday.

“I don’t think alcohol was a factor,” he added. “We have no indicators telling us that.”

Meanwhile, Logan County’s highway department plans to evaluate the stretch of road near the crash site to determine if any safety features are needed.

The crash, which occurred late Friday where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill and turns south to become 250th Avenue, killed Katherine L. “Katie” Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln; Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart; Katelyn “Katie” A. McCarty, 19, of Taylorville; and Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, of Middletown.

The two survivors — Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover — were taken to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Rickord remained in serious condition Tuesday night, while Schoonover’s condition still was listed as fair, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Conrady was driving his pickup, which had an extended cab, with the other five teens on a curved portion of road on the downside of the hill at about 11:30 p.m. when the vehicle left the pavement, slammed into a tree and caught fire.

Carpentier, Conrady and McGlasson — a sophomore, senior and 2006 graduate of Lincoln Community High School, respectively — died at the scene. McCarty, a freshman at Springfield College in Illinois-Benedictine University, was pronounced dead about an hour later at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln.

“The preliminary cause of death … is blunt force trauma on all four (victims),” Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said Tuesday. “We think they all passed by the time the fire broke out.”

As flames started to spread through the cab, Rickord and Schoonover were pulled to safety by a motorist who came upon the crash site.

Nichols couldn’t say what role, if any, the road’s curved and hilly terrain played in the wreck.

“It’s a big hill, yes. But everybody familiar with it knows it’s there,” he said. “… I looked up how many accidents we had there in the last five or six years, and we’ve only had I think five accidents in that area, and all of them have been just property-damage accidents.”

Bret Aukamp, Logan County’s highway engineer, said he, too, reviewed his records after he learned of Friday night’s crash and found only one wreck that involved serious injury since 2001.

“This is the first time that we had an accident this bad, a fatality, let alone a multiple fatality,” he said. “It’s a difficult portion of roadway because of that hill, and because there has not been any accident history out there, we really haven’t been looking at that as a specific safety issue. Now this changes things.”

Aukamp said the highway department will assess the road, which falls under the direct supervision of Corwin Township, this week. He said personnel were unable to do so over the weekend because of a steady stream of mourners at the crash site.

Signage and other warnings will all be taken into consideration, he said.

“We want to go out objectively and see what can be eliminated or improved and try to make it as safe as we can,” Aukamp said. "

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/25546.asp

Community mourns teens killed in wreck - State Journal Register

"Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University today is holding a memorial prayer service for freshman student Katelyn “Katie” McCarty, 19, of Taylorville — one of four area teenagers killed in a fiery single-vehicle crash in Logan County late Friday.

Meanwhile, the two survivors pulled from the burning wreckage, who also are SCI-Benedictine students, continued to recuperate Monday at Memorial Medical Center.

McCarty was killed along with Katherine L. “Katie” Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln; Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart; and Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, of Middletown.

Conrady and Carpentier were a senior and a sophomore at Lincoln Community High School, respectively, and McGlasson was a 2006 graduate of LCHS.


Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said Tuesday afternoon that the teens died of "blunt force trauma."


“We think they all passed by the time the fire broke out,” Thomas said.

The cause of death remains preliminary, he noted, and an inquest will take place pending pathology reports and results of Illinois State Police’s crash reconstruction.

Thomas also said toxicology tests are being run on all four victims.

“I could not tell if alcohol played a role,” he said. Police say there was no immediate indicatation alcohol was a factor.

SCI/Benedictine’s service for McCarty was scheduled for noon today at Marguerite Matthews Chapel in Dawson Hall on the school’s campus. Msgr. Thomas Holinga of St. Joseph Church in Springfield will lead the service.

The four teens were killed when the extended-cab pickup they were in hit a tree and caught fire at the bottom of a curved stretch of road near where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill just east of Middletown.

The two survivors, Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, are both Lincoln Community High graduates. Rickord was listed in serious condition at Memorial on Monday night, while Schoonover was in fair condition.

They were pulled to safety by Mike Boyer, who with his wife came upon the accident scene as they were returning from a basketball game in Lincoln to their home on a farm near Middleton.

“My wife said she spotted little flames coming from beneath the truck. My wife called 911, and that’s when I noticed one of the boys yelling for help,” Boyer told the Bloomington Pantagraph.

Boyer said he then went to the truck and pulled Schoonover out from the driver’s side window and laid him on the ground. At that point, another motorist stopped, and Boyer asked him to go get a fire extinguisher.

“There was an unbelievable amount of smoke inside the cab, and I began to see flames lapping up from the floorboard,” he told the Pantagraph.

Boyer said that after he pulled Rickord from a passenger side window, the entire truck was quickly engulfed in flames.

“I thought maybe there was another one or two still in the truck, but I never would have thought there were six people riding in the truck,” he said.

“Maybe — I don’t know if those kids were alive in that truck — but if I had had a fire extinguisher, then we’d know.”

On Monday evening, a candlelight vigil followed by a caravan to the accident site was planned at Lincoln Community High. But snowy conditions and poor visibility prompted school officials to cancel the event at the school.

More than 100 people, mainly teenagers, made the trek to Polecat Hill anyway. The crowd gathered near four crosses erected for the victims, held candles and prayed for the deceased, as well as for Rickord and Schoonover.

A remembrance blog has been set up at http://friendsgonebutnotforgotten.blogspot.com, where friends have shared photograph slideshows and memorial plans, including special ribbons to wear at school and bumper stickers.

Also Monday, funeral arrangements were released for Conrady and McGlasson.

Conrady’s visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Lincoln Community High followed by a funeral at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln.

Visitation for McGlasson will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln followed by a funeral service at the church at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

An entry on the blog from the Carpentier family indicated a memorial service will be held for Carpentier from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Jefferson Street Christian Church. Open visitation will be from noon until 2 p.m., and the memorial will be from 2 to 3 p.m."

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/25477.asp

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Please Bring Pictures To School

text fwd mess
"Hey tell everyone to bring pictures of the victims to school tomorrow. They can give them to Mrs. Schonauer before first hour."

you can also send me digital pics at dannyreed@gmail.com i will make sure they get to the right people

i believe the desktop publishing class is going to make some posters in memory of our lost friends

10pm news WICS 2/18/08


Wics 10pm 2/18/08 - More amazing videos are a click away

Directions To The Scene

Some people have informed me they would like to go to the scene but don't know where it is so here is a map

From Taylorville


View Larger Map

From Lincoln


View Larger Map

Be Careful

Katherine 'Katie' Carpentier Obituary - Lincoln Daily News

"Katherine "Katie" Lynn Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at 12:02 a.m. at the 200th block of 1300th Street in rural Middletown as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

A memorial service for Katie will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at Jefferson Street Christian Church, with Dustin Fulton officiating. Visitation will be at the church on Saturday from noon until the time of the service.
Cremation rites have been accorded.

Peasley Funeral Home in Lincoln is in charge of arrangements.

Katie was born in Lincoln on Feb. 22, 1992, to Tilden Lynn and Lisa Ann Carpentier Jr.

She is survived by her parents, of Lincoln; her sister, Rebecca Ann Carpentier of Lincoln; her brother, Nathan William Carpentier, of Lincoln; her maternal grandparents, William and Margaret Nicholson of Hobart, Australia; and her paternal grandparents, Tilden L. and Ida Carpentier Sr. of Peoria.

Katie was a member of Jefferson Street Christian Church and was involved in the summer church camp.

She was a sophomore at Lincoln Community High School."

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_carpentier.shtml

Middletown Crash Victims' Names Released - Lincoln Daily News

"Positive identification results for four teens who were killed in the truck that crashed just outside Middletown on Friday evening were completed late Monday afternoon. Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas officially released the names and information Tuesday morning.
Of the deceased, two were Lincoln Community High School students. Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart was a senior. Katherine "Katie" Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln was a sophomore.

Also killed in the crash were Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, a 2006 graduate of LCHS, currently of Middletown, and Katelyn "Katie" A. McCarty, 19, of Taylorville.

McCarty's death was pronounced at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. Conrady, Carpentier and McGlasson were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

As reported earlier, two LCHS graduates survived the crash. Zachary "Zach" Rickord and Clark Schoonover were rescued from the truck and taken to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Rickord was reported to be in serious condition and Schoonover in fair condition on Monday.

Rickord and Schoonover attend Springfield College in Illinois, Benedictine University, where McCarty was a freshman also. "

An email From Cori Barry friend of Katie McCarty

"I am a close family friend of the fourth victim, Katie McCarty, and I
just wanted to thank you for including her in your blog. It means so
much to her family and friends to know that, while most of you didn't
know her, you still have taken the time to remember her and her family
in your thoughts and prayers.

Katie, too, was always out to help people, and could always make you
laugh. When I read all of the wonderful things written about the other
kids, I can see why she was friends with them. They all seemed to have
a lot in common.

My heart goes out to all of the families and friends who have been
touched by this terrible tragedy. It is so hard to think about losing
Katie, but I can't imagine losing several friends at once. My thoughts
and prayers are with all of you. God bless.

Cori Barry"

A Thank You to everyone from Brett Conrady

"I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone that have sent well wishes and their prayers to my family in recent days. I cannot not even describe to you how much it means to know so many people were touched by Ross. This has been the most horrendous thing to ever happen to me and i cannot begin to descibe the pain i feel. Ross was not only was my little brother but my best friend and reading things on here and on his myspace page i can see he was close to everyone. I guess everyone has different ways of dealing with a loss, I have found mine to be my family,friends, myspace, and especially this website. Although some things i avoid on here, for the most part i check it a few times a day. It easier to know how much Ross was loved by his friends and the tributes they have been planning for everyone.

Tonight, my sister i participated in the drive out to the site. Although we didnt make it all the way out there, we led most of the way. This was a very special moment for us because i know how much Ross loved his truck and especailly loud exhaust!! I had not even started my truck since that tragic night but after hearing about this my sister knew we had to participate. It meant so much to my sister, me and my parents who watched at a family friends house the cars and especially those big, loud muddy trucks rumble by. I know it meant alot to my parents to see that tonight and alot to Breann and I for being able to be a part of it. Thank you to whoever thought of or organized this event tonight it really meant alot to so many people.

I want to especailly thank the creators of this website. It has helped me personally alot in the last few days. I want to thank the people that create those special tributes and post them on here for all to see. Finally, I want to especailly thank all of Ross's friends for the love and prayers for Ross. I always knew what an amazing person Ross was but its nice to see many people agree. Once again thank you and please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers, Im sure i will have more to say once this all settles down but please be safe for now.

Thank You Everyone

Brett Conrady"

Monday, February 18, 2008

Vigil for Logan County teens killed in crash -Wandtv.com

"Vigil for Logan County teens killed in crash

Posted: Feb 18, 2008 04:42 PM

Vigil to remember Logan County teens

A vigil is being held Monday at the crash site where four Logan County teens died in a car crash.

The crash happened Friday night near Middletown in Logan County.

The Lincoln Schools Superintendent says two of the victims were current students: senior Ross Conrady and sophomore Katie Carpentier. Another victim was a recent graduate Chris McGlasson.

The fourth person killed is Katie McCarty of Taylorville. She was studying nursing at Springfield College Illinois-Benedictine-University. A memorial service will be held for her at the school Tuesday at noon in the Dawson Hill Chapel.

Two people did survive Friday's tragic crash. They both attend Springfield College Illinois-Benedictine University as well.

Clark Schoonover is in fair condition at Springfield's Memorial Medical Center. Zachary Rickord is in serious condition there.

The school is offering counseling for students starting Tuesday."

http://www.wandtv.com/global/story.asp?s=7889383

Four teenagers killed in Logan County crash - HOI 19

"Four teenagers killed in Logan County crash
Vehicle teens were traveling in crashed into a tree

Posted: Monday, February 18, 2008 at 10:48 a.m.

LINCOLN, ILL. (AP) -- The Lincoln Community High School District is grieving after a fiery single-vehicle crash in Logan County killed four teenagers.

The crash late Friday night killed at least one former and two current students, and injured another two graduates.

Logan County Sheriff's police say the pickup the teenagers were riding in slammed into a tree at the bottom of a hill east of the town of Middletown.

A prayer service was held Saturday night in Lincoln for the victims.

The dead have been identified as Lincoln Community senior Ross Conrady, sophomore Katie Carpentier, graduate Chris McGlasson, and Katelyn "Katie" McCarty a college student and nursing technician at St. John's Hospital in Springfield."

http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=97041

LINCOLN: Funeral service, memorials planned - pjstar.com

"LINCOLN: Funeral service, memorials planned
Posted on 02/18 at 03:12 PM

By AMANDA REAVY
OF GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Funeral arrangements have been planned for one of four area teenagers killed in a single-vehicle accident near Middletown late Friday.

The victims had ties to Lincoln Community High School or Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University.

Katelyn “Katie” A. McCarty, 19, of Taylorville was pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m. Saturday at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln.

Also killed were Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart, a senior at Lincoln Community High School, and Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, a 2006 graduate of LCHS.

Friends and community members have identified the fourth victim as Katie Carpentier, a Lincoln Community High sophomore.

McCarty, a 2007 graduate of Taylorville High School, was a freshman at SCI/Benedictine and worked as a nursing technician at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. She was Miss Teen Illinois American Queen 2005.

Her visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Taylorville, followed by a funeral service at the church at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Conrady was a member of LCHS’s FFA chapter and won many blue ribbons in livestock competitions at the Illinois State Fair over the years.

High school classmates of McGlasson said he always had a smile on his face and loved to joke around. They said he hoped to own his own farm.

Funeral arrangements for Conrady and McGlasson are pending at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

The four teens were killed when the pickup they were in hit a tree and caught fire at the bottom of a curved stretch of road near where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill just east of Middletown.

Two other teenage boys survived.

LCHS graduates Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, also students at SCI/Benedictine, were taken to Memorial Medical Center. Rickord was listed in serious condition today while Schoonover was in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said."

http://www.pjstar.com/php/index.php?/news/lincolnl_funeral_service_memorials_planned/

Memorial service set for student killed in accident - State Journal Register

"Memorial service set for student killed in accident

Last Updated 2/18/2008 4:18:07 PM

The Springfield College in Illinois-Benedictine University community is planning a memorial prayer service for student Katelyn “Katie” McCarty, who was among four teens killed Friday in a crash near Middletown.

The service for the 19-year-old Taylorville resident will be Tuesday at noon in the Marguerite Matthews Chapel in Dawson Hall on the SCI-Benedictine campus.

Monsignor Thomas Holinga of St. Joseph's Church will lead the service.

The three other teens who lost their lives were Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart, Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, of Middletown and Katherine L. “Katie” Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln.

Conrady and Carpentier were a senior and sophomore at Lincoln Community High School, respectively, and McGlasson was a 2006 graduate of LCHS.

The four were killed when the pickup they were in hit a tree and caught fire at the bottom of a curved stretch of road near where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill just east of Middletown.

Two other teenage boys survived.

LCHS graduates Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, also students at SCI/Benedictine, were taken to Memorial Medical Center. Rickord was listed in serious condition Sunday night while Schoonover was in fair condition. Their conditions on Monday weren't immediately available."

http://www.sj-r.com/extras/breaking/index.asp?ID=4572

News videos - 2/18/08 - wics & hoi-19

WICS Channel 20

WICS Channel 20 News Friends Gone But Not Forgotten - The funniest movie is here. Find it

WHOI HOI

WHOI HOI-19 News 2/18/08 - The most amazing videos are a click away

The Visual Aid Shows that Katie is 19 but she is 15

DEADLY CRASH UPDATE - WICS Channel 20

" DEADLY CRASH UPDATE
The Lincoln Community is grieving after a fiery, single - vehicle crash.

It happened late Friday night on a curvy, Logan County road.

4 teens were killed.

We've learned at least one former and two current students were killed.

Two other teens were injured.

Friends gathered this weekend to make a memorial and grieve.

Authorities say the pick-up the teens were riding in slammed into a tree at the bottom of a hill just east of Milldetown.

A prayer service was held Saturday night in lincoln for the victims.

Three of the dead have been identified as Lincoln Community senior Ross Conrady, sophomore Katie Carpentier and graduate Chris McGlasson.

The body of the 4th deceased, a girl, has not been identified."

Christopher J. McGlasson Obituary - Lincoln Daily News

"February 18, 2008] MIDDLETOWN -- Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, of Middletown died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at 12:02 a.m. as a result of a motor vehicle auto accident at the 200th block of 1300th St., Middletown.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln. His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, with Craig Smith and Walt Harper co-officiating.
Burial will be in Mason City Cemetery, Mason City.

Arrangements are by Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Chris McGlasson had worked at Bee's Floral and Landscaping in Lincoln, Tri-Ag in Emden, and currently was working for Agee Farms, New Holland.

He was born Aug. 10, 1988, in Lincoln to Thomas and Bridget Short McGlasson.

He is survived by his parents, of Middletown; one sister, Megan McGlasson of Middletown; his paternal grandmother, Betty McLaughlin of Mason City; two maternal aunts, Jane (and David) Aper of Lincoln and Wanda (and Edward) Hassebrock of Lincoln; and one paternal uncle, Wayne McGlasson of Mason City.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Frank and Betty Short, and his paternal grandfather, James Ronald McGlasson.


He graduated from Lincoln Community High School in 2006. He participated in Future Farmers of America and was a 4-H member for many years

He was a member of Broadwell Christian Church, and memorials may be made to the church."

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_mcglasson.shtml

Ross B. Conrady Obituary - Lincoln Daily News

"
http://lincolndailynews.com/images/021808pics/obit_c8.jpgELKHART -- Ross Benjamin Conrady, 18, of Elkhart, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at 12:02 a.m. as a result of a motor vehicle accident at the 200th block of 1300th Street, Middletown.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Lincoln Community High School auditorium.
His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln, with the Rev. Daniel Tuhy and the Rev. Mark Peters co-officiating.

Burial will be in Hartsburg Union Cemetery, Hartsburg.

Arrangements are by Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Ross Conrady was a senior at Lincoln Community High School, Lincoln.

He was born June 26, 1989, in Lincoln to David and Lisa Ritterbush Conrady.

He is survived by his parents, of Elkhart; one brother, Brett Conrady of Lincoln; one sister, Breann Conrady of Champaign; his maternal grandmother, Nancy Ritterbush of Hartsburg; and his paternal grandparents, Ben and Rose Mary Conrady of Elkhart.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Fred Ritterbush, and his maternal and paternal great-grandparents.

He was of the Lutheran faith.

He was a member of Future Farmers of America, currently Section 14 reporter and past treasurer of the Lincoln chapter. He received the state FFA Degree in 2007.

He was a member of the National Honor Society, Leaf Club, Pep Club, Logan REALITY and homecoming committee, all at Lincoln Community High School."

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_conrady.shtml

Christopher J. McGlasson - Visitation & Funeral

CHRISTOPHER MCGLASSON
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln.

His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, with Craig Smith and Walt Harper co-officiating.

Burial will be in Mason City Cemetery, Mason City.

Ross B. Conrady - Visitation and Funeral

ROSS CONRADY
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Lincoln Community High School auditorium.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln, with the Rev. Daniel Tuhy and the Rev. Mark Peters co-officiating. (Across from the high school)

Burial will be in Hartsburg Union Cemetery, Hartsburg.

A Slideshow by Dan



Candlelight Vigil for Youths in Accident

"Assembly for a candlelight vigil will begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Lincoln Community High School. Prayer will be led by Brian Medaris from Jefferson Street Christian Church.
At 6 p.m. attendees will caravan to the site of the accident, which is in the 200 block of 1300th Street -- what's known as Polecat Hill -- near Middletown."


http://lincolndailynews.com/News/today021808_c.shtml

Memorial Service For Katie - Family

" From the Carpentier Family-

There will be a memorial service for Katie at Jefferson Street Christian Church on Saturday Feb. 23 from Noon to 3 o'clock. Open visitation will be from Noon til 2, and the Memorial will be from 2 til 3. In lieu of flowers there has been an account set up in Katie's name at Cefcu in Lincoln. All of the money will be going to Jefferson St. Church to pay for any children who are not able to afford to go to church camp. That was one thing that Katie loved was going to Little Gaillee.

We are also having a birthday party here at our house for Katie on Friday night. Any friends of Katies who would like to celebrate her life and join us for her 16th birthday are more than welcome to come over. Our address is 716 Grand Ave. We are not sure on the time but we will let people know and it will get around by word of mouth.

Thanks to everybody for their support during this time and our hearts and prayers are with the other families affected by this tragedy.

The Carpentier Family: Ted, Lisa, Becca, Nathan and Katie "

Katie- from her family

" Sunday, February 17, 2008


Katie- from her family
Current mood: Heartbroken

For all of you who knew Katie, me or any of my family:

We tragically lost Katie on Friday Feb. 15th 2008. My family and I are heartbroken. We love Katie so much she was always the life of the family, the one who was always there for any of us and the one who loved everybody so much. She had the biggest heart and our family will never be the same without her.

It is such a tragedy to lose my sister at such a young age. We always used to talk about how we would grow up together and get amazing jobs and have kids who would all be best friends. About how we would live in different places but see each other all the time. She is my little sister and she'll always be with me.

To all of her friends, she loved all of you sooo much. There was never a conversation that we had that didn't have something to do with something crazy she did with her friends. Her life revolved around all of her best friends and I know that you guys are just as heartbroken as we are. It's horrible to lose a friend especially when they mean so much.

To the other families who lost their child that night, we feel you in our hearts and we know what you're going through. You feel like your world will never be the same again, that you may as well just die along with your child. I know that Katie would have wanted us to move on and lead wonderful lives. But we have to grieve for awhile, after all Katie was always the center of attention!

If any of the other families or any friends of Katies need anything they are more than welcome to stop by anytime day or night. We never want the laughter to go out of this house. Please keep sending messages and comments to Katie's myspace we love hearing from everybody. We will keep it going and check it alot. When we make the arrangements we will post it on her myspace and I'm sure that it will also get around by word of mouth.

Our family appreciates the outpouring of love and support that we have received from this entire town. Keep us in your hearts and prayers and remember the amazing life that Katie led. She lived life to the fullest and didn't waste a minute of the day. That's probably why she slept so well at night!

We hope that Zach and Clark make a speedy and all around amazing recovery. Katie loved those boys to no end. Our prayers are with their families. We hope to see you all soon.

Thank you everybody and we love you all.

The Carpentier Family; Ted, Lisa, Becca, Nathan, and Katie"

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=61078315&blogID=358692837

Middletown Crash Had Two Survivors - Lincoln Daily News

" LDN is waiting for official confirmation of the deceased in a crash Friday night near Middletown.
Two survivors of the crash are LCHS graduates. Zachary "Zach" Rickord, 19, and Clark Schoonover, 20, were rescued from the truck and taken to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Rickord was reported to be in serious condition and Schoonover in fair condition on Sunday night.

Rickord and Schoonover attend Springfield College in Illinois, Benedictine University."

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/today021808_b.shtml

Esther Made Ribbons to Handout at school tomorrow

Esther has made ribbons pink & yellow for Katie and blue & gold for Ross to handout at the school tomorrow


Thank You
Esther

Bumper Stickers $5 - Sabra

"Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know that we had decals made for Chris, Katie, and Ross. They say "Loud Pipes Save Lives...We Rode in Trucks".

They will be $5 a piece with $1 going to each family. Please see myself, Kyle Brown, Trevor Matheny, or Mick Montcalm to order yours.

Thanks ever and take care,
Sabra"


Sabra will be at the school for the convoy
Thank You Sabra

Katherine Carpentier Obituary

"Katherine Carpentier


[February 18, 2008] Katherine L. "Katie" Carpentier, 15, of Lincoln, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the 200th block of 1300th Street, Middletown.
Arrangements are pending at Peasley Funeral Home in Lincoln."

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_carpentier.shtml

11:00 AM mudding

Myspace Message From Brandon Bacon
" Me and Kyle Shanle and a bunch of Ross's friends are gonna meet up at LCHS's parking lot at 11:00 a.m and sit around a little bit and talk bout the good memories we have and then for the loving memorie of Ross and Mcglasson and Katie we are goin mudding at Cori and Cary Bell's field we are gonna have some 4 wheelers and lots of trucks dress warm please, when we are at the high school parking lot all of us will decide on a place to eat after mudding, it would be very nice if you came in loveing memorie of Ross Conrady and Chris Mcglasson and Katie Carpentier then after mudding and every thing all of us are going to a candle ceremony at polecat hill at 6 this will be an awsome day i promise you ross is gonna be riding along with all of us!! please give me a call and come with all of us!
I love you & miss you Ross, and Katie, and Chris


my cell # is (removed if need to contact him email dannyreed@gmail.com) please call at anytime to tell me ur going no matter how late in the night it is!
Brandon Bacon"

2 in Logan Co. wreck show improvement - Pantagraph

"LINCOLN — Two Lincoln High School graduates injured in a truck crash Friday continue to improve at Springfield Memorial Hospital, according to a nursing supervisor.

Clark Schooneover, who suffered a broken collarbone and leg, was listed in fair condition Sunday night. Zach Rickord was upgraded from critical condition to serious, the supervisor said.

The crash took the lives of four other students, whose names have not been released by the Logan County coroner’s office because records must be checked to confirm positive indentifications.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but The Pantagraph on Sunday received death notices for Christopher McGlasson of Middletown and Ross B. Conrady of Elkhart, two of the victims.

Further details concerning the accident also have not been released by police officials.

Six teenagers were traveling in an extended cab pick-up truck westbound on 1300th Street in a rural area east of Middleton. As the truck went over Polecat Hill, the driver apparently lost control, striking trees where the road turns south to become 250th Avenue, officials said. The accident was discovered about 11:29 p.m

Mike Boyer and his wife came upon the scene as they were returning from basketball game at Lincoln High to their home on a farm near Middleton. The truck had slid sideways across 40 feet of grass and striking two trees on the driver’s side, Boyer said.

“My wife said she spotted little flames coming from beneath the truck. My wife called 911, and that’s when I noticed one of the boys yelling for help,” he told The Pantagraph Saturday.

Boyer then went to the truck and pulled one boy, Clark Schoonover, out from the driver’s side window and laid him on the ground, he said. At that point, another driver came by the scene, and Boyer asked him to go get a fire extinguisher.

“There was an unbelievable amount of smoke inside the cab and I began to see flames lapping up from the floorboard,” he said. Boyer said that he couldn’t wait any longer (for fire suppression help) so he pulled Zach Rickord from the side window on the passenger side.

The entire truck was then quickly engulfed in flames, he said.

“I thought maybe there was another one or two still in the truck, but I never would have thought their were six people riding in the truck,” he said.

“Maybe—I don’t know if those kids were alive in that truck—but if I had had a fire extinguisher, then we’d know.”"

http://pantagraph.com/articles/2008/02/18/news/doc47b91cec9cfcc975918041.txt

Christopher J. McGlasson Obituary - State Journal Register

"Christopher J. McGlasson

MIDDLETOWN - Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, of Middletown died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, in Middletown of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Arrangements are pending at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Published in The State Journal-Register on 2/18/2008."

http://www.legacy.com/sj%2Dr/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=103712151
http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_mcglasson.shtml

Ross B. Conrady Obituary - State Journal Register

"Ross B. Conrady

ELKHART - Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, in Middletown of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Arrangements are pending at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Published in The State Journal-Register on 2/18/2008."

http://www.legacy.com/sj%2Dr/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=103712146
http://lincolndailynews.com/News/obit_conrady.shtml

Katelyn A. McCarty Obituary - State Journal Register


"Katelyn A. McCarty

TAYLORVILLE - Katelyn "Katie" Ann McCarty, 19, of Taylorville passed away Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at 12:40 a.m. at Abraham Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln as a result of a one-vehicle crash in Middletown.

She was born Jan. 24, 1989, in Taylorville, the daughter of Roger Dwayne and Pameila Lea Blough McCarty.

She graduated from Taylorville High School in 2007 and currently was a freshman at Springfield College in Illinois. She worked as a nursing technician at St. John's Hospital. Katie was "Miss Teen Illinois American Queen 2005." She belonged to Big Brothers Big Sisters, was a Barbizon Model, participated in the Children's Miracle Network, was a team captain for Relay for Life and was co-chair for the entertainment committee for Relay for Life. She enjoyed spending time with her family and especially loved taking painting lessons with her mother at The Studio in Taylorville and restoring the Roadrunner with her parents.

Surviving are her parents of Taylorville; aunts and uncles, Diane Decker of Franklin, Steve Mitsdarffer of Assumption, Ben (Rhonda) McCarty of Buffalo, Debbie (Rick) Samson of Taylorville, Donna (Mark) Weaver of Effingham, Terry McCarty of Taylorville, Alice (Tom) Christenberry of Litchfield; and grandparents, Gene and Gertrude Lambin of Taylorville, Frank and Marge Bouth of Taylorville, Mae Jean Wettstein of Pana and Kay Przykopanski of Lincoln.

She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, John McCarty and Jack Przykopanski; uncle, Ralph Bough; and aunt, Sheila Mitsdarffer.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, at First Presbyterian Church in Taylorville. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at First Presbyterian Church in Taylorville, with the Rev. Joel Lohr and the Rev. Robert Spurgin officiating. Burial will be in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in Taylorville.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Katelyn "Katie" McCarty may be made to First National Bank on Spresser, Katie McCarty Educational Fund, 600 W. Spresser, Taylorville, IL 62568.

Shafer Funeral Home in Taylorville is in charge of arrangements."

http://www.legacy.com/sj%2Dr/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=103712150

Four teenagers killed in Logan County crash - www.daily-chronicle.com

"LINCOLN, Ill. - Authorities have identified the last of four teenagers killed in a fiery single-vehicle crash in Logan County.

She was 19-year-old Katelyn "Katie" McCarty of Taylorville, a college student and nursing technician at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

The other three victims were 18-year-old Ross Conrady of Elkhart, 19-year-old Christopher McGlasson of Lincoln, and Katie Carpentier, also of Lincoln.

Conrady was a senior at Lincoln Community High School, Carpentier was a sophomore there, and McGlasson graduated from the same school in 2006.

Authorities say the pickup the teenagers were riding in slammed into a tree at the bottom of a hill east of Middletown. "

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2008/02/18/ap-state-il/d8uslsh80.txt

Accident victims identified - State Journal Register

"Published Monday, February 18, 2008

Funeral arrangements have been planned for one of four area teenagers killed in a single-vehicle accident near Middletown late Friday.

Advertisement
The victims had ties to Lincoln Community High School or Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University.

Katelyn “Katie” A. McCarty, 19, of Taylorville was pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m. Saturday at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, her obituary said.

The State Journal-Register on Sunday also received partial obituaries for two boys who died in the accident — Ross B. Conrady, 18, of Elkhart, a senior at Lincoln Community High School, and Christopher J. McGlasson, 19, a 2006 graduate of LCHS.

Friends and community members have identified the fourth victim as Katie Carpentier, a Lincoln Community High sophomore.

McCarty, a 2007 graduate of Taylorville High School, was a freshman at SCI/Benedictine and worked as a nursing technician at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. She was Miss Teen Illinois American Queen 2005.

Her visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Taylorville, followed by a funeral service at the church at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Conrady was a member of LCHS’s FFA chapter and won many blue ribbons in livestock competitions at the Illinois State Fair over the years, according to newspaper archives.

High school classmates of McGlasson said he always had a smile on his face and loved to joke around. They said he hoped to own his own farm.

Funeral arrangements for Conrady and McGlasson are pending at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln, the obituaries said.

The four teens were killed when the pickup they were in hit a tree and caught fire at the bottom of a curved stretch of road near where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill just east of Middletown.

Two other teenage boys survived.

LCHS graduates Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, also students at SCI/Benedictine, were taken to Memorial Medical Center. Rickord was listed in serious condition Sunday night while Schoonover was in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

A blog created to remember the three victims associated with LCHS asks students to wear yellow, pink and blue colors to school Tuesday in memory of Carpentier. It also features slideshows of Carpentier and the others involved in the crash.

Counselors and ministers will be at LCHS when classes resume Tuesday. "

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/25449.asp

Four teenagers killed in Logan County crash - examiner.com & rrstar.com

"Feb 17, 2008 5:02 AM (19 hrs ago) AP

LINCOLN, Ill. (Map, News) - The Lincoln Community High School District is grieving after a fiery single-vehicle crash in Logan County killed four teenagers.

The crash late Friday night killed at least one former and two current students, and injured another two graduates.

Logan County Sheriff's police say the pickup the teenagers were riding in slammed into a tree at the bottom of a hill east of the town of Middletown.

A prayer service was held Saturday night in Lincoln for the victims.

Three of the dead have been identified as Lincoln Community senior Ross Conrady, sophomore Katie Carpentier, and graduate Chris McGlasson. The body of the fourth dead teenager - a girl - has not been identified.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."

http://www.examiner.com/a-1226011~Four_teenagers_killed_in_Logan_County_crash.html
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x774163233

Sunday, February 17, 2008

In Process of Designing T-Shirts - Ideas Needed

I am going to try and get some t-shirt designs done tonight so we can get them
made tomorrow if the t-shirt place is open

the idea of Ross's truck with angel wings was brought up to me

I am open for all ideas
please comment your ideas

also if you want to send me pictures dannyreed@gmail.com

I will post the designs as I finish them

Update Candle Ceremony 2/18/08 6:00pm

Vickie Diedrich would like to lead a convoy from the High School parking lot to Polecat Hill for the candle ceremony at 6:00pm 2/18/08. We will be leaving the school at 5:30pm. Please bring a candle, in memory of Ross all trucks will be at the lead of the convoy.

Thank you


Added 1:13AM 2/18/08
"I'm Adrienne Hildebrandt, and I too attended LCHS and was a senior last year with Clark and Zack. I just wanted to let you know, incase you wanted to put it on friendsaregonebutnotforgotten.blogspot.com to have the kids and parents park a ways down the hill, and to be sure to have their hazards on while parked since the hill is steep and rather blind when you are coming up the east side of it. A Logan County Sheriff's Deputy asked me to pass that on when he was out there on Saturday to direct the traffic coming over the hill. Also I didn't know if you had anyone that was planning on calling the Sheriff's Department or not, but I was planning to do so around four tomorrow afternoon after I get back into town from school just to let them know incase they wanted to send a deputy out there for safety precautions. If you have any questions or anything feel free to email me back at this address it's my school email and check it pretty frequently.

Adrienne Hildebrandt
Class of 2007"

Receive Updates V. Text Message &/or Email

I Just put together a little script so that everyone can receive up to date information about events and other thing that will be going on. You can apply to receive updates by hitting the link after the break.


Dan Reed


Send Me Updates

A Slideshow By Justin












Thank You
Justin

Candle Lighting Ceremony 2/18/08 6:00pm

"Hey everyone tomorrow nite we r having a candle lighting ceremony at the site of the accident we want everyone there it will begin at 6"


I do not know if someone is planning on bringing a bunch of candles or not so
everyone bring a candle.

Wear Yellow & Pink & Blue on Tuesday in memory of Katie

"Fwd: Wear yellow and pink for katie on tuesday. Tell everyone you know."

Now
"Wear blue pink and yellow tues"

WICS - ABC Channel 20 News Video

Here is the video of wics news channel 20 2/16/08


WICS Channel 20 News Friends Gone But Not Forgotten - The best home videos are here

Logan County wreck leaves 4 people dead - State Jounral Register

"Published Sunday, February 17, 2008

LINCOLN — The Lincoln Community High School District is grieving after a fiery single-vehicle crash took the lives of four teenagers, including at least one former and two current students, and injured another two graduates currently attending college in Springfield.

Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said the victims’ names have not been released as his office worked to verify the identity of each body. Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said all six involved were teenagers.

“The pathologist is researching the different avenues for us to positively identify them,” Thomas said Saturday evening. “We just don’t want to make any mistakes or make any errors that are hard to correct later. ... The families are aware of this and the funeral homes they have chosen are aware of this.”

Thomas planned on meeting with the victims’ families today and hoped to formally release their names afterward.

But word of the accident spread quickly throughout the community overnight Friday, and friends of the victims believed they knew who had died. Earlier in the day, mourners placed four white wooden crosses with each of the deceased victims’ first names near the charred tree at the crash site, along with flowers and other mementos of their young lives.

Saturday night, members of this tight-knit community packed Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln for a memorial service. By then, word of the wreck was widespread and friends said two of the deceased victims, a teenaged boy and girl, were current Lincoln Community High students while another young man was a 2006 graduate. The fourth deceased victim, a teenage girl, apparently attended a different school.

Graduates Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, students at Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University, survived the crash and were taken to Memorial Medical Center. Rickord was listed in critical condition Saturday while Schoonover was in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

“We’re pulling together as a community because it’s a small enough town that everybody knows everybody. Everybody has probably dealt with one or most of these kids in the community here. It’s a horrible tragedy,” said Pat Hake, a baseball coach and teacher at Lincoln Community High. “I just saw some of these kids yesterday (Friday).”

Hake had two of the deceased victims in his physical education and driver’s education class respectively and coached Schoonover when he was at LCHS.

The teens’ pickup, which had an extended cab, apparently was traveling west on 1300th Street and continued on the downside of Polecat Hill before going off the road and hitting the tree about 11:30 p.m.

Middletown Fire Chief Jason Buss said when his department arrived, the truck was fully engulfed in flames.

Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene while a fourth died at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, Thomas said.

Nichols would not release details about the accident, saying Illinois State Police crash reconstruction officers are investigating.

Seth Goodman, a 2006 graduate of Lincoln Community High who lives near the crash site, said he heard the ambulances and later felt his house shake as medical helicopters responded to pick up victims Friday night.

He didn’t learn until the next morning that his friend and former classmate was one of those killed. On Saturday, Goodman and Dusty Montgomery, another Lincoln Community High alum, were among a stream of mourners who visited the accident site to come to terms with what happened.

“(I came) just to see and kind of bring it to life because it just doesn’t seem real. It’s something you always hear about but don’t think it will happen to you,” Goodman said.

He and Montgomery remembered their former classmate’s bright smile and sense of humor as well as his desire to have his own farm.

Montgomery said she saw her friend at a local gas station about 9 p.m. Friday after the high school’s home basketball game that night had ended. He was with friends and appeared to be having fun.

Goodman added many people are affected by the tragedy.

“I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like at the high school (this week). They’re so scattered in ages that every class is impacted,” he said.

LCHS Superintendent Dean Langdon said local mental health counselors and ministers will be available when students return to school on Tuesday after the holiday weekend. The school has about 900 students.

“We want to provide as much support as we can,” he said. “These were all just outstanding kids.”

Hake said he spent most of Saturday at the hospital with Clark Schoonover, a baseball player at LCHS before playing at SCI/Benedictine, and his family.

“He’s going to be all right eventually physically. He’s got a couple broken bones,” he said. “He’s as comfortable as he can be I’m sure in light of what’s happened.”

Hake said many friends had shown up at Memorial to see Schoonover and Rickord.

“I’ve lived here eight years now (in Lincoln) and the centerpiece of this town is the high school. ... It’s very important to people in this town what our children are doing. This town will pull together and try to help the people who’ve been hurt heal and help with anything they can.” "




"Seth Goodman and Dusty Montgomery, both of Lincoln, visit the site east of Middletown where four teenagers were killed and two others were injured late Friday night in a single-vehicle wreck. The wreck occurred late Friday when the pickup the teens were riding in slammed into a tree at the bottom of a curved stretch of road near where 1300th Street crosses Polecat Hill and becomes 250th Avenue, just east of Middletown."

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/25406.asp

Truck Tuesday - In Memory of Ross

"Ok sooo me and iggy have thisidea for a tribute to ross......as we all
knew he loved his truck like crazy......soo this tuesday we r tryin to
get as many trucks at school as possible.......if u dun have one its
fine but if u r able to drive a truck to school thatd be
awesome.........send this to as many ppl as u can........"


I will say everyone who doesn't have a truck let the truck people park in the front row

I want to post

If you would like to post something on the blog
fly an email over to dannyreed[at]gmail.com and
i will invite you to post.


Danny Reed

Man's quick action probably saved 2 young men's lives

"MIDDLETOWN -- Mike Boyer is not the sort of person who would pass a motorist in need, but his generosity has left him without answers as he grapples with the question, “what if?”

His quick action probably saved the lives of two young men he pulled from a wrecked pickup truck before fire engulfed it, but four others died.

Boyer and his wife, Tracey, were driving home to their farm near Middletown from a basketball game at Lincoln Community High School when in the dark his headlights revealed a set of skid marks on the steep downside of Polecat Hill a couple miles from their home.

“We got down the hill and then I saw what looked like a dark colored, extended cab pickup truck off to the side of the road,” Boyer said. “My wife said it looked like there were little flames coming from beneath the truck.”

Boyer was going about 50 mph going down the hill, so he had to back up after finally coming to a stop to reach the scene of the wreck two miles east of Middletown.

Boyer found that the truck had left the road and slid sideways across 40 feet of grass. The truck appeared to have struck two trees on the driver’s side. The cargo bed of the truck had come off and there were tools scattered around the wreckage.

“My wife called 911 and that’s when I noticed one of the boys yelling for help,” he said.

“The cries were coming out of the back side of the truck on the passenger side,” Boyer said. “His head was sticking out the back window and he was saying, ‘help me, help me’.”

“I didn’t know what to do,” Boyer said. “I wasn’t sure if I should move him so I looked for something to put the fire out.”

Boyer said he had no idea there were six people riding in the truck, so he tried to kick some dirt on what appeared to be a small fire. The ground was frozen and wouldn’t give, and he couldn’t reach the flames to put them out.

“It appeared that the gasoline tank had been knocked loose from the truck and was lying on the ground under the driver’s seat,” Boyer said.

“I don’t know who he was but at that point another driver stopped at the scene and drove off to try to find a fire extinguisher,” Boyer said.

“I knew it was going to be a long time before the fire department arrived.”

Boyer made another cell phone call to a friend who was a former firefighter and told him to bring a fire extinguisher to the scene of the wreck, but somehow the message got garbled and the friend ended up driving to Boyer’s house instead.

“There was an unbelievable amount of smoke inside the cab and I began to see flames lapping up from the floorboard,” he said.

Boyer said he couldn’t wait any longer and pulled the young man, Zach Rickord, by the arm out the side window on the passenger side.

“I laid him on the ground aside the truck,” he said. “That’s when I heard Clark Schoonover, who was hanging out the back window on the driver’s side,” Boyer said.

“Schoonover said his legs felt as if they were burning -- although I don’t know if his clothes were actually on fire at that point.”

Boyer said Schoonover told him his arm and his leg were hurt, so Boyer grabbed him by his good right arm and lifted him out of the truck.

“I bear-hugged him and laid him next to the truck,” Boyer said.

“The boys were telling me there was a girl in the truck, but I found her lying nearby on the ground.”

Boyer and his wife moved all three to a spot farther from the burning vehicle, which by then had become totally engulfed in flames. Boyer tried to talk to the girl, but she was unresponsive.

At that point, Boyer’s close friend, Josh Pharis, a Logan County sheriff’s deputy, arrived at the scene.

“Josh tried to resuscitate the girl but didn’t appear to be getting a response, either.” he said. “Josh did a good job of taking over the scene. I’m not trained for that sort of stuff.”

“Another student drove up and helped keep Rickord and Schoonover quiet,” Boyer said.

Boyer said the Middletown Fire Department and Lincoln ambulance finally arrived on the scene, but by then it was too late to save the three other passengers still inside the truck.

“The fire department does a good job here, but they’re volunteers,” he said. “They have to drive from their homes to the fire station and then to the scene and that takes time.”

“I thought maybe there was another one or two still in the truck but I never would have thought there were six people riding in the truck,” he said.

“They were all good kids,” Boyer said. “I either knew them or their families.”

Boyer looked straight ahead and paused for a good while.

“I’m going to go out and get a fire extinguisher for my car,” he said.

He fought back tears that welled up in his eyes.

“Maybe … I don’t know if those kids were alive in that truck … but if I had had a fire extinguisher, then we’d know.”"

http://pantagraph.com/articles/2008/02/17/news/doc47b77f83653f2297147725.txt

Video Montage of Katherine by Shelby Johnson

Take A Look - Pantagraph



"Three girls who were friends of four youths who died in Friday night's fiery wreck near Middletown survey the scene at the base of Polecat Hill, Saturday, February 16, 2008. The tree at right was charred when the gasoline tank of the truck came off and fueled a fire that engulfed the extended cab pickup truck about one mile east of Middletown. (Pantagraph, David Proeber)"

Pantagraph

4 killed, 2 others injured in crash near Middletown

"UPDATED 9:25 p.m. MIDDLETOWN -- A fiery pickup truck crash Saturday near Middletown killed four young people, injured two others and left many with ties to Lincoln Community High School shocked and grieving.

“Here are these kids, who should just be enjoying one of the best parts of their lives, and then something terrible like this happens,” said Pat Hake, a physical and driver’s education teacher and baseball coach who knew most of the victims as students.

A pickup truck was westbound on 1300th Street when it went over Polecat Hill and struck trees near where the road turns south to become 250th Avenue, officials said Saturday. The accident was discovered about 11:29 p.m. Friday.

“As he was going down the hill, the truck skidded and sideswiped a set of trees at the base of the hill. The truck apparently burst into flames,” said Middletown Fire Chief Jason Buss.

“When we got the call, the truck was already fully engulfed,” he said.

Saturday night, tears flowed from more than 100 friends and family who gathered for a prayer service at Jefferson Street Christian Church, Lincoln, to remember the four young people killed in the accident.

At times, the sound of sobbing filled the meeting room used by church junior and senior high youth groups. Most of the students who knew LCHS senior Ross Conrady, sophomore Katie Carpentier and graduate Chris McGlasson came to the prayer service to share their grief.

“Hug each other and cry together — that’s what tonight is about,” Youth Pastor Brian Medaris said, calling the church space a communal living room for those affected by the tragedy.

Lincoln High seniors Cody Leevey, Amy Ramlow and Dustin Elmer shared memories of their close friend, Conrady.

“We were the farm kids. Ross was all about the country stuff — fishing, playing in the mud, hunting. We raised pigs,” said Ramlow.

“There was never a dull moment with him,” said Elmer, who was Conrady’s friend since kindergarten.

Leevey remembered his friend as a storyteller who loved to put a lot of ketchup on his food.

The three last saw their classmate at a basketball game Friday night.

Cindy Smith is a church volunteer who described 15-year-old Carpentier as “the life of the party. She was outgoing, fun and friendly.”

The name of the fourth person killed was not available Saturday, but it is believed she is not from the area.

Injured in the crash were Zach Rickord and Clark Schoonover, described as LCHS graduates attending Springfield College of Illinois in Springfield. Rickord was listed in critical condition Saturday night at Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, and Schoonover was there in fair condition, a nursing supervisor said.

Dean Langdon, superintendent of the Lincoln high school district, earlier Saturday said the victims were all “outstanding kids of good character, all from very solid families.”

He said the school will have counselors, including representatives of various faith communities, available Tuesday when students return from the three-day Presidents Day weekend.

“The school is doing all that we can to help the students deal with this crisis,” Langdon said. “This is a very close-knit community, and we will all pull together in a difficult time like this.”

Hake was at the Springfield hospital Saturday night to comfort Schoonover — a former Lincoln baseball player — and his family.

“I was the one who told Clark (who had a broken collar bone and leg) what had happened to the others. He took it as well as could be expected,” Hake said.

“I knew all of the kids very well,” he said. “It’s really just a tragedy.”

Hake said the community is pulling together in the mourning period.

“Some of the students have made memorials of flowers and the like, doing what they can to deal with it,” Hake said.

Springfield College in Illinois probably will have a memorial service next week for the victims, said Susie Doddek, director of advancement for the campus in Springfield. Rickord and Schoonover and the unidentified person who was killed are believed to be students there. The college will wait for official confirmation first.

The college will have grief counselors on hand Monday, she said.

Meanwhile the accident remains under investigation, Logan County sheriff's police said.

County Coroner Bob Thomas’ office and the sheriff’s department released few details Saturday, saying the accident remains under investigation. He did confirm two males and two females were killed, and two males survived.

Middletown and New Holland fire and rescue squads, the Logan County sheriff’s police, state police and various area ambulance services were called to the scene, Thomas said.

Jim Ensign, Bridget Flynn and Roger Miller contributed to this report."

http://pantagraph.com/articles/2008/02/17/news/doc47b730508f0f2952425922.txt

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Slideshow for Ross - by Sara

Here is a little slide show of Ross made by Sara



View this slideshow created at One True Media
RIP ROSS

Prayer service for families and friends of car crash victims:

A Prayer service for the community is planned at Jefferson St. Christian Church in the old sanctuary at 7pm. Saturday evening (2/16/08).

Four Teens Killed in Crash Near Middletown

"Officials are still piecing together what happened last night that led to the death of four young people. There were six persons all believed to be between the ages of 18 – 20 years-old traveling in an extended pickup truck when it left the roadway and struck a tree near Middletown. Then the vehicle caught fire. The exact time of the crash is unknown, however the first call came at 11:29 p.m.

The two survivors were taken to Memorial Medical Hospital, Springfield. They were in fair condition. “They were very lucky,” Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said.

The families have been notified, however the identities are not being released yet to give families some time. Thomas said that the families all knew each other and are in a state of shock. Friends are helping them.

One of the deceased was from Taylorville in Christian County. The Christian County coroner has contacted her parents.

All of the other vehicle occupants were from Logan County.

The crash occurred in the 200 block of 1300th Street, east of Middletown.

The Logan County Sheriffs Department, Illinois State Police and corners office are investigating. ISP is doing a total station investigation, which includes measure skid marks, and collecting other scene details and entering them into a computer system.

[LDN]"

http://lincolndailynews.com/News/today021608_g.shtml