Marissa Man Killed in Car Crash Monday Near Okawville

A rural Marissa man was killed and a man from Sparta suffered major injuries as the result of a two-vehicle crash on County Highway 13 just south of Okawville Monday afternoon.

Randall J. Koeller, 51, was killed when his Chevrolet Avalanche was struck by a Mack garbage truck owned by Waste Management and driven by Willie E. Willis, 52. The accident was at the intersection of County Highway 13 and County Highway 6 at around 4 p.m. Monday.

According to the preliminary investigative report by the Illinois State Police, Koeller was traveling westbound on  County Highway 6 and failed to stop at the intersection of County Highway 13 and was struck by the southbound Mack truck.

Koeller’s truck overturned and came to rest in a ditch, and the Mack truck continued into a field on the west side of the road approximately 60 feet south of the intersection.

The Okawville Fire Department extricated Koeller from his vehicle, which was upside down in the ditch.

Koeller was pronounced dead by Washington County Coroner Mark Styninger at 4:25 p.m. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, and the manner of death appears to be accidental.

Willis was taken to Washington County Hospital before being transported to Saint Louis University Hospital with major injuries. Both drivers were restrained, according to the ISP report.

Koeller, who lived in the rural area north of St. Libory, was engaged in farming and was an agent for Insurance Planning and Management in Okawville.

Funeral services and visitation will be held Friday, January 18 at St. Liborius Church. Full details on our Obituary page.