Shannon Watkins Killed by 18-Wheeler at IL-128 and Main in Shelbyville
Shelbyville, IL — July 1, 2022, 58-year-old pedestrian Shannon Watkins was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer at a Shelbyville intersection.
According to authorities the incident happened around 1:50 p.m. at the crossing of State Route 128 and Main Street in Shelbyville. Preliminary investigation suggests an International 18-wheeler turned right from one road onto the other and struck Watkins, who was crossing the road in a wheelchair.
Watkins was transported from the scene to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. No other injuries were reported.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Shannon Watkins Accident in Shelbyville
It's one thing to see a truck hit a pedestrian, tragic as that is, but understanding the full context of that collision is vital--particularly to the victim's grieving loved ones, who may be justifiably wondering how this terrible incident could have happened.
To help make sense of things there are still a great many details to work out. For instance, reports say the victim was crossing the road at an intersection; did she have the protection of a crosswalk and/or a traffic signal there? That's important to learn, but even if she didn't that certainly doesn't mean she was "fair game" for drivers with the right-of-way. Considering this happened in the light of the early afternoon, should the truck driver reasonably have seen her when approaching the intersection? Was the driver paying attention to his surroundings? If not, why not? Was his truck in good shape? Is that intersection in good repair, with functional lights and good signage?
I read the same reports as anyone else, which in this case is why I'm asking so many follow-up questions. There's a frustrating lack of detail here and yet I'm concerned that police won't actually look much further before wrapping up. The victim's loved ones deserve to know that every effort was made to bring them answers about their terrible loss. If law enforcement doesn't plan to dig deep enough to learn the whole truth, maybe an independent investigation can find more answers.
