A vehicle crash in Macoupin county killed one woman on Friday afternoon on Interstate 55 just north of Milepost 46 in Mount Olive when the vehicle’s tire fell off. 51-year-old John B. McCutcheon and 28-year-old Katelynn K. Cook-McCutcheon of Warrenton, Missouri were traveling in a vehicle with 3 minors, a 2-year-old female, a 3-year-old male, and a 7-year-old female.
Preliminary reports show that John McCutcheon was traveling northbound on I55 just north of milepost 46 when a rear tire of the 2003 Ford Explorer they were in fell off causing him to lose control. The vehicle traveled into the center median and overturned. Katelynn K. Cook McCutcheon was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported by ambulance to an area hospital where she passed away. The three-year-old was airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries. John and the remaining two passengers were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
The ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit is continuing the investigation. The crash caused I55 to be closed for 4 hours. John McCutcheon was cited for operating a vehicle in an unsafe condition and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
