Three Weekend Crashes Involving Injuries

Police handled three crashes resulting in injuries over the weekend.

One crash happened in Effingham just before 6pm Friday at West Fayette Avenue and Outer Belt West.

Effingham City Police said a vehicle driven by 59-year-old Daniel Hankins of Effingham rear-ended a vehicle driven by 28-year-old Jeht Wendt of Effingham. A passenger in the Wendt vehicle, nine-year-old James Wendt of Effingham, was injured and was transported by ambulance to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

No citations were issued.

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Two crashes happened Saturday evening. One occurred at 5:18pm in Teutopolis Township, at 1600th Street and 1350th Avenue, just southwest of Teutopolis. Effingham County sheriff's deputies reported 16-year-old Kaleb Bannick of Teutopolis lost control of his northbound vehicle on 1600th Street. The vehicle left the roadway to the west, hit the ditch, overturned several times, and came to rest on its side.

Bannick and his passenger, 17-year-old Jacob Sarchet of Teutopolis, were both injured and were transported to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. 

Bannick was cited for driving too fast for conditions, and failure to reduce speed to avoid the crash.

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The other crash occurred at 6:18pm Saturday in Lucas Township, at 2300th Street and 600th Avenue, south of Dieterich.

Deputies reported vehicles driven by 52-year-old Darren Kaminaka of Honolulu, Hawaii and 79-year-old Dorothy Stirrett of Effingham collided. Stirrett turned onto 2300th Street and was struck by the Kaminaka vehicle, which pushed Stirrett's vehicle. That caused Stirrett's vehicle to turn sideways and overturn on its side.

Both Kaminaka and Stirrett were injured. Kaminaka was taken to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham, while Stirrett was airlifted from the scene to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Kaminaka was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid the crash.