On Sunday, October 6, 2019, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker stated, “It is with much sadness I am sending out this news release.”
On Saturday October 5, 2019, at 10:25 a.m., Whiteside County Deputies responded to north Illinois Route 40 near Ridge Road, in rural Sterling, IL, for a traffic crash involving a passenger vehicle vs a farm tractor and grain cart. Deputies arrived on scene and were able to determine through the investigation that Jennifer M. Schryver, 45 years old of Milledgeville, IL, was driving a 2009 Hyundai passenger vehicle traveling eastbound on IL Route 40. She attempted to pass a farm tractor and grain cart, which was also traveling eastbound on IL Route 40. The 2018 John Deere tractor was pulling a half-full grain cart, driven by 19-year-old Kyle Aude of Chadwick. Schryver’s vehicle struck the rear area of the grain cart. Schryver was transported to CGH Medical Center for her injuries. The front passenger in Schryver’s vehicle was 9-year-old Addison P. Headlee. Headlee was airlifted from the crash scene and flown to Javon Bea-Hospital Riverside in Rockford, IL.
Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office was informed by Winnebago County Coroner’s Office that Headlee has passed away from her injuries due to the crash. Aude, the driver of the tractor, was not injured.
Whiteside County Deputies were assisted at the scene by Milledgeville Fire Department and EMS, Illinois State Police, and CGH Ambulance Medifore Air Medical, and Slim ‘n Hank’s Towing.
Please keep in thoughts and prayers all the families that have been touched by this incident, as well as all Emergency Responders.