Effingham Man Arrested After Crash at Airport

Print

Published on September 14 2015 3:41 pm
Last Updated on September 14 2015 3:59 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham resident Gregory J. Yocum was arrested Monday on a charge of aggravated DUI following a crash at Effingham County Memorial Airport over the weekend.

The 56-year-old Yocum is already charged with aggravated DUI for an incident last December where a vehicle allegedly driven by Yocum and struck and killed a pedestrian on the north edge of Heartville along US Route 45. Yocum's case in that matter has been stalled while local officials wait on State Crime Lab findings from the incident.

Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler explained that Yocum still had his license since his blood alcohol content was below the legal limit by the time he was tested after last December's incident. Part of the evidence the State is seeking is a finding as to what Yocum's BAC would have been at the time of the incident.

In the meantime, a vehicle driven by Yocum was traveling on Airport Road just east of South 4th Street Road at 1:19pm Sunday when the vehicle ran off the roadway. Effingham County Sheriff's deputies report Yocum's vehicle crossed the ditch and traveled across a yard and parking lot at the airport. The unit struck a curb, landscaping and a hangar building owned by Heartland Dental. Deputies say the vehicle and the hangar building suffered extensive damage.

Yocum was injured in the crash and was taken to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. He was released today and was taken into custody on the new aggravated DUI charge. In court Monday, Judge Kimberly Koester set Yocum's bond at $20,000, ordered Yocum to abstain from drugs and alcohol, and ordered him not to drive a motor vehicle. Yocum posted bond Monday afternoon and has been released.

The case from the December incident is next due in court October 8. No trial date has been set.