One person has been confirmed dead after a major accident this morning on Rt. 154 in rural Perry County.
Anthony Hagene, 30, of Steeleville was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which took place around 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning just west of the intersection at Rt. 51, according to the Perry County Sheriff's Office.
Also involved in the accident were Jamie R. Perry, 36, of Pinckneyville; a female juvenile passenger traveling with Perry; and Edgar A. Pursell, 40, of Du Quoin.
Perry was airlifted by Arch Medical Helicopter Service to St. Louis University Hospital, and her juvenile passenger was taken by helicopter to a children's hospital in St. Louis. Pursell was taken by ambulance to Pinckneyville Community Hospital.
Two vehicles -- a white Dodge Neon and an SUV -- sustained major damage in the wreck. A third vehicle, a large Ford van, had turned on its side on the highway to the west of the other vehicles.
The sheriff's office said Hagene was driving the white Neon. Perry was driving the SUV, and Pursell was driving the van.
Family notifications were still ongoing Thursday afternoon.
The accident closed down Rt. 154 for four and a half hours for accident reconstruction.
Agencies at the scene included the Pinckneyville Fire Department, the Tamaroa Fire Department, the Pinckneyville Ambulance Service, Pinckneyville Police, the Perry County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police.
Pete Spitler contributed to this report.
