OTTAWA, Ill. — Lifelong farmer and LaSalle County Farm Bureau member William M. Krug of rural Ottawa was pronounced dead at the scene of a three-vehicle collision on Illinois 23 on May 27.
Frank M. Contacessi, 22, of River Grove, whose box truck struck the rear of Krug’s car, was cited by LaSalle County sheriff’s deputies on June 1 with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. No other charges are pending in the case, authorities said.
The incident occurred as Krug stopped his auto in the southbound lane on Illinois 23 to turn into a driveway, authorities noted. The force of the truck’s impact forced Krug’s auto into the northbound lane on Illinois 23, where it was struck by a southbound grain truck. Authorities did not give that driver’s name.
The funeral for the victim was June 3 at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, with the Rev. Sherry Stevenson officiating. Burial was in Oakwood Memorial Park.
County Farm Bureau President Monty Whipple of Utica said Krug did not hold an office in the organization, but "was one of the good members."
"You never know from day to day what will happen when the day is up," Whipple said of the wreck. "It was just a very unfortunate mishap that also involved a truck hauling grain, but (the incident) was not that person’s fault. He happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, too."
Whipple noted the grain truck was also heavily damaged in the incident.
Krug was born Feb. 10, 1954, to Marshall and Vera Berge Krug. An Ottawa Township High School graduate, he received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Illinois State University. Besides being a lifelong farmer north of Ottawa, Krug also worked at Pro-Drive/J.F. Brennan, formerly Pro-Dive, Inc., of Ottawa.
Survivors include his wife, Kallie (Geiger) Krug of Newark, whom he married in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 15, 1994. Also surviving are his daughter, Taylor, his son, Cole, his brother, Douglas Krug, all of Ottawa., and sisters Connie (Donald) Weir and Vicki (Larry) Wanken of California, Rita Krug of Michigan and Susan (John) Mobley of Ottawa. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Marcia Jean Krug.
Memorials may be directed to the family for a college fund for his son and daughter.
