Shelbyville Woman Driving Vehicle That Struck Power Pole Tuesday Morning

The Effingham County Sheriff's Department says a Shelbyville woman was driving the vehicle that ran off Illinois 32/33 northwest of Effingham Tuesday morning, resulting in road blockage and a power interruption for much of the surrounding area.

Sheriff's deputies report the driver was 73-year-old Linda Kessel of Shelbyville. A report on the crash indicates that Kessel's vehicle headed into Effingham on the highway suddenly veered across the turn lane and both westbound lanes. The vehicle then struck a steel culvert and a stop sign and then went airborne before striking two guy wires. The impact with the guy wires snapped off the top of the power pole, which left power lines laying across the entire width of the highway at the entrance to Briarwood Subdivision.

Kessel was injured and was taken to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham for treatment.

The downed power lines resulted in an electrical outage that affected residents into the northwest side of Effingham and as far west as Beecher City. The highway was also closed until the downed power lines could be removed.