Coroner's Jury Rules Ill. Firefighter's Death Avoidable

BLOOMINGTON -- The death of a Hudson firefighter who was struck March 5 by a semitrailer truck while at a snowy accident scene was accidental but avoidable, a McLean County coroner's Jury ruled Thursday.

Chris Brown, who was a full-time firefighter with the Bloomington Fire Department and a volunteer for the Hudson Fire Department, died at 11:38 p.m. that day at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center of multiple blunt force injuries. Six other firefighters were injured in the accident.

Brown and his fellow firefighters had responded to a multiple-vehicle accident on a snowy, southbound Interstate 39 about 9:30 p.m. Brown parked his command vehicle in the left-hand land of the interstate with emergency lights flashing to alert motorists.

State police Master Sgt. John Dittmer, a crash reconstructionist, testified semi driver, Mansur Shakirov, 28, of Spokane, Wash., did not move over to the right lane and hit Brown's vehicle and Brown, who had just exited his vehicle, Dittmer said.

The semi then sideswiped a state police squad car parked ahead of Brown's vehicle and plowed into the back of a Hudson fire truck about 75 to 100 feet ahead, he said. The semi then jackknifed and hit the fire truck again.

Dittmer said he calculated the semi and its two trailers, with a total weight of 72,800 pounds, were traveling at least 32.39 mph when it hit Brown's vehicle.

A state police trooper at the scene asked Shakirov how fast he was going and Shakirov responded, "No faster than 50," Dittmer said.

Toxicology tests on Shakirov were negative for drugs or alcohol, said McLean County Coroner Beth Kimmerling.

The jury ruled the accident was avoidable on the part of Shakirov because he failed to keep a proper lookout, was driving too fast for conditions and violated Scott's Law, which mandates that upon approaching a stopped, authorized emergency vehicle, a motorist should change lanes when it is safe to do so or reduce speed if a lane change isn't practical.

Shakirov faces charges of reckless homicide.

The jury suggested: "Consideration could be given to provide greater warning on the roadway of the accident scene, particularly on roads and weather conditions similar to those presented in this matter."

Hudson Fire Chief Dan Hite said fire departments responded to 15 accidents in McLean County between 5 and 10 p.m. that day. While his department vehicles typically are not used to direct traffic, "law enforcement was spread thin."

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