Man Dies on Bus Traveling Through Effingham

Effingham City Police Department contacted the Effingham County Coroner’s Office Tuesday evening to respond to the death of a man on a commercial bus parked at the Pilot Truck Stop in Effingham.

Abbott EMS responded to the scene and attempted resuscitation efforts, but were unsuccessful. Upon arrival, County Coroner Kim Rhodes pronounced the man dead at the scene. The individual was identified as 67-year-old Pedro Quiroz of Monterrey, Mexico. Rhodes said it appears Quiroz’s death was from natural causes. No foul play is suspected and medical records have been requested. A COVID19 sample was also sent for testing.

Quiroz's brother who was also traveling on the bus was transported by Abbott EMS to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital for treatment of an undisclosed illness. The commercial bus was taking workers from Wisconsin back to McCallen, Texas when Pedro Quiroz became unresponsive. The driver of the bus pulled off at the Pilot Truck Stop at 6:15pm and called 911.

Pedro Quiroz was transported to HSHS St. Anthony morgue and the family in Monterrey, Mexico was notified by the Coroner’s Office. The family is expected to arrive in Effingham in the next couple of days to make funeral arrangements for Pedro Quiroz. The incident remains under investigation by the Effingham County Coroner’s Office and the Illinois Department of Public Health.