VIOLA, Ill. (KWQC) – Shortly before 4 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, a car struck a house, causing a fire and extensive damage. Both occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The name of the deceased was not released until the family was notified. No one at the home was injured, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
TV6 spoke to neighbor Darnia Bennett on Sunday. She said she woke up hours after the accident to see police officers working across the street from her home. She pointed out the tire marks left on the car on the way to the scene of the accident.
“We’ve seen them go through a neighbor’s garden and then through ours before crossing the road,” Darunia said. “Then it hit the tree next door and the car fell back into place.”
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Viola Police Department, Illinois State Police Reconstruction Unit, Viola Fire Department, Motherville Fire Department, and Genesis Ambulance Service.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
