Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- At 4:29 pm on March 16, 2026 the Illinois State Police and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department responded to a one vehicle crash on 875th Road approximately one mile east of US RT. 45. (State Police Black-top). Upon arrival they found a vehicle upside down in the river. The Effingham County Dive Team responded and removed the driver from the vehicle. The driver was identified as John Breer, age 16, of Effingham, Illinois. John Breer passed away at 6:05 pm at HSHS St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham, Illinois. The Effingham County Coroner’s Office was contacted and responded to the hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Breer was eastbound and for some unknown reason ran off the road on the south side and veered over to the west bound lane, struck the bridge railing and then overturned in the river. The Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Unit arrived to process the scene.
An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th at 10:30 am at the McLean County Coroner’s Office in Bloomington, Illinois to determine the official cause of death.
The Effingham County Coroner’s office and the Illinois State Police are continuing the investigation pending the results of the toxicology reports and the Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Report.
Agencies on scene were the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police and Traffic Reconstruction, Watson Fire Department, Effingham Fire Department, Rural Med EMS and the Effingham County Coroner’s Office.
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