By Derek Beigh
The Pantagraph
PONTIAC — An on-duty Livingston County correctional officer described as a “dedicated professional” died in a two-vehicle crash Thursday night just east of Long Point.
Katherine Duda, 30, of Long Point was on her way to work at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department when her car, eastbound on County Road 2640N, was hit by a vehicle traveling northbound on 300E, said Livingston County Sheriff Tony Childress. She was found dead at 6:34 p.m.
“The driver of the northbound vehicle failed to stop at a stop intersection, causing the fatal accident,” Childress said.
Childress said Duda “was a dedicated professional who loved her job as a correctional officer and prided herself in doing her best at her job while helping protect the citizens of Livingston County.” He referred to her as “a perfect role model of what a mother, a wife and an officer should be.”
Duda is the third Livingston County officer killed on duty in the past seven years. Pontiac police officer Casey Kohlmeier and his K-9, Draco, were killed in a 2013 highway accident, and Fairbury firefighter Brian Munz died fighting a house fire in 2008.
Other details of Thursday’s crash were unavailable pending results of an autopsy and an investigation by the Illinois State Police Accident Reconstruction Team and Livingston County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“We’ll await the conclusion of the investigation and then promptly review the reports to see if any charges will be forthcoming,” said State’s Attorney Seth Uphoff.
The other driver, 68-year-old Sharon Balch of Oceanside, Calif., was transported to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Her condition was not available Friday.
Duda’s “love, compassion and dedication for her family, her job, her fellow co-workers and the residents of Livingston County will be sorely missed,” Childress said. “I would ask our citizens to keep the family … along with the men and women of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department in their prayers.”
The crash is the fourth vehicle fatality in the past week in Central Illinois.