UPDATE: Pilot hospitalized with ‘serious injuries’ after St. Joseph helicopter crash

ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) -- Crews responded to the scene of a helicopter crash in Champaign County Thursday evening. Sheriff Dustin Heuerman shared with WCIA that a crop duster helicopter reportedly hit powerlines and crashed in the area of 2000E and 1700N in St. Joseph. The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter. He was taken to Carle Hospital with serious injuries. The crash happened around 7:15 p.m. and details remain limited at this time. Members of the public should avoid the area to allow emergency crews to respond safely. WCIA 3 spoke with neighbors who live less than half a mile away from where the crash happened. The neighbors were watching the pilot crop dusting before going inside their home. Then, their power went out and one man immediately drove out to the scene. He said the pilot was hanging onto the frame of the helicopter when he got there. But, with a live powerline, no one was able to safely rescue him until Ameren cut the line. While the crash initially cut the power to about 1,103 Ameren Illinois customers, Ameren's outage map shows that power has since been restored to the area. Heuerman confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board will respond to investigate the crash. WCIA has reached out to the NTSB, but did not immediately hear back. This is a developing story. More details will be shared as WCIA learns more.