Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Illinois man dies, raising Midwestern storm death toll to 4

Illinois man dies, raising Midwestern storm death toll to 4 | iNFOnews.ca
Debbie Loughridge's damaged home and car are seen among debris in Naplate, Ill., Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Loughridge and her son rode out the storm in the bathtub. "All I heard was the wind and the breaking glass. Like an explosion of glass," she said. In the small community of Naplate, next to Ottawa, about a quarter of the roughly 200 homes were damaged, Fire Chief John Nevins said. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)

OTTAWA, Ill. – A northern Illinois man has died after being struck by a tree during a powerful Midwestern storm, raising the death toll for the regional storms to four.

Peoria County’s coroner says 31-year-old David A. Johnson of Ottawa died Wednesday of severe head trauma at a Peoria hospital.

Johnson was in a backyard with his spouse and father-in-law Tuesday when the storm uprooted a tree that landed on them. His 76-year-old father-in-law, Wayne Tuntland, was killed. His spouse was treated at a hospital.

Seventy-one-year-old Thomas McCord also died Tuesday when an apparent tornado struck a building in Crossville, in southern Illinois.

In Missouri, officials say 24-year-old Travis Koenig of Perryville was killed when a tornado blew his vehicle off Interstate 55. Forecasters say the tornado, which damaged more than 100 homes, had wind speeds between 139 mph and 165 mph.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles