PEARL CITY, Ill. — A young man is dead and two others severely injured following a vehicle vs. cattle crash in Stephenson County early Monday morning.

According to the Stephenson County Sheriff’s office, at approximately 2:21 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 7, emergency responders were dispatched to the area of West Loran Road and South Lott Road in rural Stephenson County about 1.5 miles southwest of Pearl City after receiving an iPhone crash detection alert.

Upon arrival, a responding Sheriff’s Office deputy located a Ford sedan with extensive damage in the ditch on the north side of Loran Road. The deputy also observed approximately 15 cattle in the roadway.

The sedan was occupied by three individuals: a 22-year-old male driver, a 25-year-old male front seat passenger, and a 25-year-old male who was seated in the rear of the vehicle. All three occupants sustained severe injuries. The rear-seat passenger was the only occupant conscious when the first deputy arrived at the scene, according to a press release from Sheriff Steve Stovall late that day.

The front-seat passenger was transported by medical helicopter to an area hospital for treatment. The rear-seat passenger was transported by ambulance to Mercyhealth Hospital in Freeport. The driver was transported from the scene but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased during transport to a medical facility.

The results of the preliminary investigation indicate that the Ford sedan was traveling eastbound on Loran Road, east of Lott Road, when it struck multiple cattle that were in the roadway. Following the collisions, the Ford left the roadway and came to rest in the ditch on the north side of Loran Road.

Two cattle were found deceased at the scene as a result of the crash. Two additional cattle sustained injuries severe enough that they had to be euthanized at the scene.

The crash remains under active and ongoing investigation by the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office.

The identities of those involved were not released by press time. Additional information may be released as it becomes available.

“The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge and thank the Stephenson County Coroner’s Office, Pearl City Fire Department, Leamon’s Ambulance Service, and Freeport Fire Department for their assistance at the scene,” Stovall said.