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March 11, 2010

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Police Say Driver of Fatal Crash Was Drinking

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By WEEK Producer

Story Published: Aug 10, 2009 at 5:20 PM CST

Story Updated: Aug 10, 2009 at 5:34 PM CST

Illinois state police say the driver involved in a fatal crash on Route 9 Sunday night had been drinking.

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Illinois State Police say 37–year old Kimberly Cheney of Lewistown was traveling on Route 9 near Airport Road in Canton just before six o'clock when she struck two cars and two pedestrians walking in the road.

Cheney first clipped 38–year old Thomas Hedden's truck and then veered toward two men
.
49–year old John Stevenson of Rutland and 56–year old Gary Baker of Minonk had parked their vehicle along the road and were walking when hit.

Police say Stevenson was pronounced dead at Graham Hospital in Canton. Baker is in critical condition at OSF Saint Francis hospital.
Hedden suffered no injuries.

Police say Cheney was arrested for DUI and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Next article Canton ESDA Facing Changes

View Oldest Comments First

Saturday, Aug 15 at 1:21 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Im sorry for the people who lost a loved one. I know kim and her whole family. She's not a bad person! she just made a bad choice. and she will half to live with it the rest of her life.

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Friday, Aug 14 at 12:12 PM PH wrote ...

The family of the drunk lady came to the hospital where the guy who died was b4 he passed and started to cussing the family out because they had file a report against their mother and now she was gonna go to jail. So they said they are suffering because they will lose their mother for some years and they shouldnt be going thru that. Well b*** i'll tell you what's not fair. Is not fair thatur mother had to take someone else's life away from their family. deal with and deal with it all ur life.

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Friday, Aug 14 at 12:07 PM PH wrote ...

T.J. our prayers are with u and your family. We only met one time but that does not stop us from giving you our support in this time of sorrow.

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Friday, Aug 14 at 5:16 AM 7-14 years..... wrote ...

it wasnt pretty in that courtroom....

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Thursday, Aug 13 at 9:48 PM sandi wrote ...

maybe about everyone has drank but she killed someone.does that mean she should not go to jail if that is the cause alot of people has shoot a gun does that mean they shouldnt go to jail if they kill someone.every adult has use a knife does that mean if they stab someone and kill someone.they dont go to jail.she should be lock up for a long time

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Thursday, Aug 13 at 9:16 PM brett wrote ...

pill popn b???? needs her life took away spend her life in prison big waste of good air like they say apples dont fall far from the tree

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Wednesday, Aug 12 at 4:32 PM sandi wrote ...

for you igorance on the saying why was the hicks in the middle of the road..they wasn't they was on the side of the road.. you must be the hick cause you dont know how to read. the first car slow down and moved over cause he seen them on the side of the road. like he was supposed to do.she came speeding down the road hit his vehicle than gary and johnny spun around hit the truck.

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Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:48 AM TINA SKINNER wrote ...

AND FOR THAT YOU WILL PAY. YOU NOT ONLY TOOK HIS LIFE FROM US YOU TOOK HIS FACE FROM US.AS FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I HURT WITH YOU ALL, IT IS A WRONG DEALTH AND HE SHOULD STILL BE HERE WITH US. AS HE SHOULD BE. I WILL MISS HIM DEARLY AS THE TEARS RUN DOWN MY FACE.BUT LET I AM AT EASE KNOWING HE IS IN HEAVENAND NOT MADE A VEGGIE BY THE KILLER. HE WILL BE THERE WITH HIS HANDS OUT WAITING FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US WHEN IT IS OUR TIME. WITH THE LAUGH THAT HE HAD AND THE SMILE ON HIS FACE. I WI

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Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:52 AM TINA SKINNER wrote ...

I WILL BE GLAD TO REUNITE WITH MY BUDDY JOHNNY STEVENSON. FOR ALL THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS I LOVE YOU ALL ALWAYS TINA SKINNER AND MY ALL THE PRAYER AND BLESSINGS GO OUT FOR GARY AND HIS RECOVERY BE SPEEDY. FOR HEFOR HE IS THE KILLERS VICTUME TOO. MAY YOUR MINDAND

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Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:39 AM TINA SKINNER wrote ...

AND A SON TO MY MOTHER.THE DAY YOU ARE LOCKED UP WILL BE THE DAY MY MIND WILL BE AT EASE BUT MY HEART WILL STILL BLEED FOR YOU TOOK SOMEONE FROM ME WHO WAS VERY DEARTO ME.

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Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:35 AM TINA SKINNER wrote ...

OH LADY LET ME TELL YOU! I HOPE YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.I AM A FRIEND OF JOHNNY AND I ALWAYS HAVE MY FRIENDS BACK I HAVE HIS HE BACK NOW.HE WAS THE BEST. YOU ARE NOTHING. AND I HOPE YOU PAY DEARLY. YOU ARE A KILLER.JOHNNY WAS A DESENT MAN, KIND AND HE NEVER HURT ANYONE. I HAVE KNOWN HIM SENCE I WAS 10 AND I AM 42 NOW.HE WAS MORE OF A BROTHER THAN A FRIEND. I COULD TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE.HE WAS PART OF OUR FAMILY. HE WAS A BROTHER TO MY BROTHER, A BROTHER TO ME

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 11:55 PM For you info wrote ...

In refrence to uh Those "hicks" were doing right and picking something up that fell out of their truck!!!!! They didn't know there was going to be an idiot out on the road!! Most people would have left it You are cold blooded to talk about a man that has gotten killed!!! Your just as stupid as she is!!!

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 7:48 PM Anonymous wrote ...

"However, just about everyone drinks and drives at some point!" That's not true, but everyone that does needs to pay the piper.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 5:15 PM Texter's wrote ...

All "driving while texting" people should be jailed. They know it's dangerous, it was their intent to do it, therefore if they hurt someone then that means that was their intent as well.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 3:50 PM uh wrote ...

what were the 2 people doing standing in the road? Didnt the hicks know somebody could hit them. As for the drunk...typical fulton county folk.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 12:19 PM Fulton Co citizen wrote ...

Why is it that whenever you hear of an alcohol related crash, the drunk driver always lives and it is the innocent bystandards life that is taken, and their family is left to deal with that.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 10:59 AM citizen wrote ...

it is known that 3 weeks ago she was driving under the influence and got off because the cops were her friends. Fulton County is pure junk! This woman is a monster and deserves to rot in jail!!

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 10:38 AM Tired of selfish drunks wrote ...

To those few that think that "everyone drinks and drives," I would venture to say that you have a serious drinking problem. Most people are law abiding and have a sense of caring about those around them. (And know how to drink and have a good time without putting others at risk.) I think the present laws are fine. It is the sentencing that needs revision. If you drink and drive, you have shown your judgement cannot be trusted, andyou lose your driving privIleges for life. PERIOD.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 10:01 AM thief drunk etc wrote ...

she needs to be investagated steling money from an ol man poppin pills hellllooo??? she aint no good.........

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 9:20 AM I'd have to agree wrote ...

Saying that a large portion of the population doesn't drink and drive is just being in denial. To combat this, there needs to be an intoxilizer in EVERY car for EVERYONE.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 9:17 AM bt wrote ...

This woman deserves to spend the rest of her life in jail. She took the life of an innocent man knowing that getting in the car after drinking was not smart. These victims families have to live with this pain for the rest of their lives, so should she. She is a cold-blooded murderer!!!!!

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 9:09 AM ya wrote ...

pill poppin bleep....

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 8:35 AM earob wrote ...

Intent-"Yes officer. I did intend to shoot randomly into a crowd of people. But I never meant to hurt anyone. I'm sorry, please forgive me." BS! Everyone knows the possible outcomes of their actions-ESPECIALLY driving drunk. I am so sick and tired of everyone trying to baby those who knowingly do something as ignorant as drunk driving.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 8:27 AM Anonymous wrote ...

reality-you have no sense of reality. come on! "just about everyone drinks and drives at some point." hardly! that comment says a lot about you and those you associate with. that is sad if that is really your perception of reality.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 7:02 AM Intent wrote ...

She intened to drink and drive. She did not, however, intend to hurt anyone. She should be punished, but punished accordingly. Put a lifetime restriction on her driving, where she has to use an intoxilizer. That would greatly reduce a repeat.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 6:59 AM Reality wrote ...

Yes, this is tragic. However, just about everyone drinks and drives at some point! I'm not saying it's a great idea. But whenever something like this happens all the commenters on here act like they've never done it. I'm sure this is where all the golden children speak their minds, and everyone here is perfect. This was tragic, remember and celebrate the victims of this in the manner you see fit. Just don't be hypocritical and condem this lady as the devil incarnate.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 1:31 AM olhoser wrote ...

Ha! She probably has two or three kids at home. She will get off with handshake, er I mean a hand slap. Do the judges have any guts in your county? Not much in mine.

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Tuesday, Aug 11 at 1:04 AM J.B. wrote ...

I just wanted to say R.I.P. John. you were a great guy, well my prayers go out to your family. Thanks for being my uncle garys friend.

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Monday, Aug 10 at 10:45 PM dbt wrote ...

To ts, our drinking and driving laws are already beyond tough in this state. Tougher laws will not stop this from happening, smarter people will.

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Monday, Aug 10 at 10:05 PM pss wrote ...

gee, i hope kimberly cheney does not get off like the person who killed jim mulay did.

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Monday, Aug 10 at 9:23 PM TS wrote ...

There needs to be some tougher laws for drinking and driving, then to hurt someone else means a tougher sentence. There have been too many accidents with deaths lately. The solution-not sure except to make tougher laws.

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Monday, Aug 10 at 7:46 PM rb wrote ...

R.I.P. Johnnie !! i hadent seen you for a while , but will always remember you!! Bill your in my prayers!!

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Monday, Aug 10 at 7:17 PM mac wrote ...

My prayers go out to the friends and family of those injured and life lost.

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Monday, Aug 10 at 7:04 PM earob wrote ...

Nothing but worthless garbage. I sure hope nobody gets on her saying, "Oh, she'll have to live w/this the rest of her life. Go easy on her." BS! She knew when she got in that vehicle she was drunk but she chose to do it any way. Again, worthless!

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