Galva man dies in U.S. 6 crash near Peru; 2 others injured

A Galva man died and two other individuals were injured in a two-vehicle crash reported about 11:30 a.m. Thursday on U.S. 6, a short distance from the intersection of St. Bede Lane and the Dalzell blacktop.

Joseph L. Janz, 51, of Galva, was identified as the deceased person, the La Salle County Coroner’s Office said in a Thursday press release.

Traffic was halted in both directions while Peru police and firefighters conducted a traffic reconstruction Police Chief Doug Bernabei said would halt traffic for most of the afternoon.

A LifeFlight helicopter was parked on U.S. 6 but left shortly before noon without a patient. Bernabei confirmed a critically-injured motorist, later identified as Janz, died before transport.

“We’re not sure if it was a head-on accident with eastbound and westbound vehicles,” Bernabei said, “or if we had a vehicle that was westbound towards Spring Valley and a vehicle might have pulled out of a private drive.”

Bernabei described the two injuries as “serious.” As for Janz, Bernabei said the helicopter was sent for while first-responders conducted an “extended” extrication. Janz was found deceased and the coroner’s office was summoned.

The extrication likely was from what appeared to be the remains of a pickup truck (damage to the auto body was catastrophic) that collided with a minivan. The vehicles came to rest at a spot several hundred yards from the intersection.

An investigative autopsy will be conducted Friday, the coroner’s office said.

Motorists should avoid the area Thursday afternoon and seek alternative routes.