Man dies after vehicle drives into crowd at Roanoke fireworks

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ROANOKE - A Roanoke man has died from injuries suffered after a woman drove a vehicle into a crowd at a fireworks celebration Friday night in Woodford County.

Steven J. Hodel, 60, of 808 W. Parkview Court, Roanoke, died at 10:45 p.m. Friday in Peoria's OSF Saint Francis Medical Center emergency room, said Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll.

Ingersoll's office performed an autopsy Saturday morning on Hodel's body. He suffered a crushed chest and pelvis, Ingersoll said.

The vehicle struck three other people, two of whom were also transported to a hospital, according to a release from the Woodford County Sheriff's Department.

The two taken to a hospital were females, Roanoke Fire Chief Jeff Smith said .

Ingersoll said one of them was Hodel's wife, Joyce Hodel, who was admitted to Saint Francis. She was in fair condition at the hospital Saturday afternoon, a nursing supervisor said.

The vehicle was driven by Ruby Kennell, Ingersoll said.

Hodel and his wife and some of his friends had attended the fireworks celebration at Eden's Club 116, 116 E. Broad St., and were collecting their items at 9:30 p.m. when Kennel drove into the crowd, Ingersoll said.

The sheriff's department didn't release whether Kennell faced any charges. The department also didn't release the names of all the people injured.

Sheriff's deputies, the Roanoke Fire Department, Illinois State Police from District 8, and ambulances from Roanoke and Eureka assisted.

The incident remained under investigation Saturday by the Woodford County Sheriff's Department.

Bridget Flynn contributed to this report.

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