The Brown County Sheriff’s Office reported on Mar. 23 a summary of recent traffic accidents and citations occurring in the county during March 2026.
The report lists several incidents, including a traffic accident on March 17 involving Charity L. Deardorff of Versailles, who was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 99 and attempted to turn east into DOT Foods when her vehicle struck another operated by Glen A. Dunmire of Mt. Sterling, who was traveling northbound. No injuries were reported unless otherwise stated, and all incidents involved damage exceeding $1,500.
Multiple citations were issued throughout the month. On March 15, Ashley T. Dessources of Meredosia received a citation for speeding at 80 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone on US Route 24 East at 1400E. On March 17, Laurence Littler of Jacksonville was cited for expired registration north of Versailles; Odrick J. Baptiste of Beardstown was cited for operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration at Illinois Route 99 at DOT Way.
Additional citations included Joshua D. Kessel of Littleton (March 20) for operating with suspended registration at Camden Street and Washington Street in Mt. Sterling; Darlande Philius of Jacksonville for speeding (43/25 MPH) on South Main Street at Cherry Street in Versailles; Amie G. Fils and Brandi C. Koonce, both from Beardstown, each cited separately for operating vehicles with suspended registrations on Illinois Route 99 East Union Street.
On March 21, Scott F. Wisley from Silvis received a citation for speeding (47/35 MPH) near Brown County High School on East Main Street while Blane C. McClenning from Rushville was cited for speeding (75/55 MPH) on US Route 24 at Hazel Dale Road.
In addition to law enforcement activity, education data shows that the average student-to-teacher ratio in Brown County schools during the previous academic year was twelve-to-one with an enrollment of six hundred seventy-four students taught by fifty-five full-time faculty members according to state education records. Among the three schools in Brown County, Brown County Elementary School had the highest number of white students enrolled last year according to state data. White students made up ninety-five percent of the student body across county schools as reported by state statistics.
Recent standardized test results show more than eighty percent of public high school students are not performing at grade level in math based on SAT scores this academic year according to official reports. The percentage failing math increased from seventy-six percent last year to eighty-two percent this year state data show. Nearly eight out of ten high schoolers are also below grade level in English as measured by SAT performance state records indicate.
The sheriff’s office can be contacted via email at [email protected] regarding these or other matters.
