Published on March 17, 2026 6:25 am
Last Updated on March 17, 2026 9:03 am
A local teenager was fatally injured in a single-vehicle crash Monday evening.
At 4:29 pm, the Illinois State Police and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office responded to a one vehicle crash on 875th Road, approximately one mile east of US RT. 45. (the State Police Black-top). Upon arrival they found a vehicle upside down in Salt Creek. The Effingham County Dive Team responded and removed the driver from the vehicle. The driver was identified as John Breer, age 16, of Effingham. Breer died at 6:05 pm at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham. The Effingham County Coroner’s Office was contacted and responded to the hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Breer was eastbound and for some unknown reason ran off the road on the south side and veered over to the west bound lane, struck the bridge railing and then overturned in the creek. The Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Unit arrived to process the scene.
An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:30 am at the McLean County Coroner’s Office in Bloomington to determine the official cause of death.
Breer was a sophomore student at Teutopolis High School. Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said Teutopolis school officials plan to have counselors present to talk with students today.
The Effingham County Coroner’s office and the Illinois State Police are continuing the investigation pending the results of the toxicology reports and the Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Report. Agencies on scene were the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police and Traffic Reconstruction, Watson Fire Protection District, Effingham Fire Department, Rural Med EMS and the Effingham County Coroner’s Office.
