ISP identifies McDonough Co. deputy involved in fatal crash

MACOMB (WGEM) - The driver of the McDonough County Sheriff’s Office vehicle involved in a fatal collision on U.S. Route 67 south of Macomb on Jan. 27 has been identified as Deputy Evan C. Schmalshof, according to a crash report filed by the Illinois State Police.

State Trooper Steven Huffman responded to the scene of the crash near North 950th Road at 9:55 p.m. The report states that Schmalshof’s vehicle made contact at a high rate of speed with a vehicle driven by James Mellenthin of Cottage Hills, Illinois.

Upon impact, Mellenthin’s vehicle left the road and rolled over several times. Mellenthin was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead upon examination by Lifeguard Ambulance emergency responders.

The State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit and Zone 4 investigators were called to the scene. The Sheriff’s Office vehicle was towed to the county operations building for an investigative hold. The road was reopened at 5:22 a.m. Jan. 28.

McDonough County Sheriff Nick Petitgout has not answered calls or returned messages left by WGEM News related to the crash.

A Celebration of Life Memorial visitation for Mellenthin is 1-4 p.m. Saturday at Marks Mortuary in Wood River.