UPDATED: Normal Police locate vehicle of interest, driver in pedestrian’s death

Posted on November 7, 2019
PEDESTRIAN FATAL
Normal Police found a second vehicle of interest and its driver following the death of a pedestrian at Veterans Parkway near Fort Jesse Road Wednesday night. (Photo by Howard Packowitz/WJBC)

 

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Normal Police Rick Bleichner reported investigators have found a second vehicle of interest and identified its driver after a pedestrian was struck and killed Wednesday night while crossing Veterans Parkway in northeast Normal.

Police asked for the public’s help late Thursday afternoon to find the dark-colored full-sized pickup truck and the driver.

There have been no arrests, and police are continuing their investigation.

Earlier, McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder identified the victim as Vincent Shorten, 25, of Normal.

Police said a grey minivan traveling northbound, and perhaps the pickup truck, traveling in the same direction, struck Shorten as he walked across Veterans, just north of Fort Jesse Road about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Yoder pronounced Shorten dead at the scene. She said preliminary autopsy results show Shorten died from multiple blunt force injuries.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…