Two women dead after multi-vehicle crash Sunday night on Interstate 72 in Pike County

PIKE COUNTY, Ill. — Two women have died as the result of a multi-vehicle crash on Sunday night on Interstate 72.

Pike County 911 received a report of a multi-vehicle crash that occurred on I-72 westbound at milepost 12 at 9:39 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. The caller indicated it was a head-on collision. First responders were dispatched to the reported location, including the Illinois State Police, which is handling the investigation of the vehicle crash. 

The Pike County coroner was dispatched to the scene. Amanda E. Harrison, 43, of Laddonia, Mo., and Angela J. Wood, 59, from Payson were pronounced dead at the scene. Both decedents were passengers in two separate vehicles. 

A report from Troop 6 with the Illinois State Police indicates a 2008 Blue Chrysler Town and Country LX driven by Steven M. Harrison, 67, from Wellsville, Mo., was traveling eastbound on Interstate 72 at approximately 9:35 p.m. A 2019 White Ford Transit T-150 driven by John J. Wagler, 49, of Bloomfield, Iowa, was westbound in the left lane, and a 2023 Gray Chevrolet Malibu driven by James D. Wood, 65, of Payson was behind Wagner’s vehicle. 

The front driver side of Harrison’s vehicle struck the front driver side of Wagler’s vehicle, which went off the left side of the road and struck a guard rail. Harrison’s vehicle then traveled into the path of Wood’s vehicle and struck it head on.

Steven Harrison was airlifted to a regional hospital with injuries. James wood was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with injuries. Wagler was uninjured, as were four females in the vehicle — juveniles ages 12, 15 and 17, and Dorothy R. Wagler, 43, of Bloomfield, Iowa.