One dead, four hospitalized after Piatt Co. crash

PIATT COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) -- One person has died and four people were taken to the hospital after a crash in Piatt County on Sunday afternoon. Deputies with the Piatt County Sheriff's Office responded to 2500 North Road and 800 East Road around 3:20 p.m. for a two-car crash with injuries. After investigating, the sheriff's office learned that 44-year-old Jason Sharp of Farmer City was driving westbound on 2500 North Road. The initial investigation indicates that Sharp disobeyed a yield sign at 800 East Road, hit a car heading north on 800 East Road on its passenger side, which caused the car to roll over. The driver of the second vehicle was later identified as 50-year-old Joshua Beck of Mansfield. The Piatt County Sheriff's Office said that Beck was pronounced dead on the scene. There were three passengers in Sharp's vehicle, including a 47-year-old woman, a 35-year-old woman, and a 35-year-old man. Sharp and two others were taken to a hospital by an ambulance. A third passenger was airlifted to Carle Hospital in Urbana. Sharp was issued a citation for failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash and failure to obey a yield sign. The Piatt County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police and the Piatt County Coroner's Office are investigating. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 217-762-5761. The sheriff's office added that all subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.