CENTRALIA, IL— A motorcyclist’s passenger was pronounced dead following a collision with an SUV on Sunday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:40 p.m. on Route 161, east of Centralia, according to authorities. Centralia Police report that 51-year-old Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Ramsey was a passenger on her husband’s motorcycle when it struck the rear of an eastbound SUV while waiting for a left turn onto Edgewood Lane.
Marion County Coroner Claude Howell confirmed Ramsey sustained multiple injuries that resulted in her death at the scene. Her husband, 47-year-old Timothy Ramsey, was taken by Lifestar Ambulance to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia before being transported to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.
The driver of the SUV, 23-year-old Trevor Andershock of St. Peters, Missouri, suffered minor injuries and will seek medical care independently.
A State Accident Reconstructionist has completed an initial report on the crash, but specific details remain undisclosed.
Centralia Police and Fire were on the scene, and Route 161 was closed from Pleasant to Airport Road for several hours following the incident. An investigation by law enforcement is ongoing.