Full Statement from the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office: 07/11/21 @ 2:28 PM
The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a crash on the U.S. Route 30 Mississippi River Bridge involving two vehicles, one of which was a semi tractor-trailer. The following agencies responded:
- Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office
- Clinton (Iowa) Police Department
- Clinton (Iowa) Fire Department/EMS
- Fulton Police Department
- Fulton Fire Department/EMS
- Illinois State Police
- Illinois State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
- Whiteside County Coroner’s Office
Upon investigation of the crash, it was determined that a pick-up truck was traveling westbound and crossed the centerlines striking an eastbound semi tractor-trailer nearly head-on. The driver of the pick-up was pronounced deceased on scene. Joel A. Blottenberger, age 45 of Dixon, was driving the semi tractor-trailer and neither he nor his passenger, Heather A. Selden, age 49 of Dixon, were injured in the crash. Officials later released the identity of the fatality from the crash as Thomas M. Gramer, age 71 of Fulton
Midwest Collision and Downtown Auto/Towing assisted on scene and the crash remains under investigation at this time.
