Fairfield Man Killed in Hamilton County Crash

A 36-year-old Fairfield man was killed Friday afternoon in a construction zone accident on Illinois Route 242 in rural Dahlgren in Hamilton County involving a road repaving crew from Howell Paving, Incorporated of Salem.

State Police say Neil Hendrick was northbound on Route 242 approaching the construction zone where a flagman had several vehicles stopped, while southbound traffic was moving through the construction zone. Hendrick reportedly drove around the stopped vehicles, failed to stop for the construction flagger, and proceeded northbound in the southbound lane. In an attempt to avoid the southbound traffic, police say Hendrick drove back into the northbound lane, striking construction worker 25-year-old Brandon Biggerstaff of McLeansboro, and then colliding with a backhoe operated by 28-year-old Aaron Kyle Musgrave of Fairfield.

Hendrick was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle following the impact. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the Hamilton County Coroner's Office.

Both Musgrave and Biggerstaff were transported by Harre Ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of their injuries.

An Illinois State Police Crash Reconstruction Officer has been assigned to the crash investigation.

Both lanes of Illinois Route 242 were closed during the traffic crash investigation.

The crash occurred at 3:35 Friday afternoon.