A St. David man was killed late Wednesday night, Nov. 5, 1980, in the collision of his pickup truck and a Trailways bus near Lewistown.
John C. Vallery, 34, was trapped in the truck for several hours before his body was freed.
The bus driver, James Varner, 40, of Rural Route 3, Carthage, was taken to Graham Hospital in Canton and received two broken ankles. A passenger, Clifford E. Hines, 27, of Kansas City, Mo., was admitted for observation.
Three other passengers were injured but declined hospital treatment. They were Daniel A. Bascom, 17, of Galesburg, Joseph A. Knaple, 75, of Youngstown, and William H. Peck, 41, of Kansas City, Mo. They were taken to the Spoon River Hotel in Lewistown.
Fulton County sheriff’s police said the truck apparently crossed the center line near the junction of Illinois Routes 100 and 97 north of Lewistown about 11:10 p.m. and struck the bus head-on.
County Coroner George Kauzlarich ordered an autopsy.
The crash is under investigation, officers said.
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