KNOXVILLE, IL — A 19-year-old Monmouth man is facing aggravated DUI and reckless homicide charges after a deadly early Sunday crash on Interstate 74 in Knox County. Illinois State Police say the collision involved a car that was traveling the wrong way in the westbound lanes.
The crash left two motorcycle riders dead and sent the car’s driver to the hospital before he was booked into the county jail. Brian Boyer appeared in court Monday morning and was ordered held while the case moves forward.
Online court records show Boyer is set for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 14, although the case could reach a grand jury before then.
Wrong way on Interstate 74 led to a deadly two-vehicle collision
Troopers were called to the scene at about 2:13 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, near mile marker 55 in Knoxville. According to Illinois State Police, a Chevrolet Malibu was heading eastbound in the westbound lanes when it struck a motorcycle traveling westbound.
The impact happened on a stretch of interstate that was closed for several hours after the wreck. Westbound lanes reopened at 8 a.m. that morning.
State police said the crash involved only two vehicles, and the wrong-way driving allegation is central to the criminal case now filed in Knox County Circuit Court.
Two riders died at the scene and were later identified by the coroner
Knox County Coroner Jacque Dare identified the victims as Kelsey Barksdale, 27, of Davenport, Iowa, and Curtis Vannier, 28, of Moline. Both were on the motorcycle and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Their deaths turned the collision into a fatal crash investigation almost immediately, with state police and county officials working through the overnight scene. No additional details about the motorcycle riders’ route or where they were headed were released.
The coroner’s identification confirmed the names of the two people killed, while police focused their investigation on the wrong-way vehicle and the sequence of impact on the interstate.
Boyer was hospitalized, then jailed after his release
Police identified the Malibu driver as Brian Boyer, who is from Monmouth. After the crash, he was taken to an area hospital for injuries, according to Illinois State Police.
Once he was released from the hospital, Boyer was taken to the county jail. He later appeared in Knox County Circuit Court on Monday morning, where a judge ordered him held in custody as the case continues.
His court appearance marked the start of formal proceedings tied to the crash. The next scheduled court date is Sept. 14, unless prosecutors bring the matter before a grand jury sooner.
Aggravated DUI is the most serious count and carries prison time
Court records show Boyer is charged with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide. The aggravated DUI count is the more serious charge and carries a prison sentence of at least three years and as long as 14 years if there is a conviction.
Because two people were killed, Boyer could face consecutive sentences. Under the sentencing rules described in court, he would have to serve at least 85% of any sentence imposed.
The court also could consider probation, but only if he shows extraordinary circumstances. In this kind of case, the burden is on the defendant to persuade the judge that probation is appropriate rather than prison.
Court timeline now centers on a September hearing or a possible grand jury review
The case is now moving through Knox County Circuit Court, with the next hearing set for Sept. 14. That date will matter for deciding how the prosecution proceeds and whether the charges advance in open court or through a grand jury.
For now, Boyer remains in custody while the allegations are pending. The crash has already prompted a homicide case built around alleged impaired and reckless driving on a major Illinois interstate.
State police have not publicly added more details about how long the vehicle was traveling the wrong way before the collision or whether any other factors were involved. The charges and court schedule remain the main developments so far.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
