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Hospital CEO Vince Ashley killed in motorcycle crash

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Harrisburg Medical Center President and CEO Vince Ashley died following a motorcycle accident at 5:12 p.m. Sunday on Corinth Road at the intersection with Thompsonville Road, according to an accident report of the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.

Ashley's wife, Melinda, remains hospitalized in Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., in critical condition, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The crash happened when Resa B. Oswald of Marion was driving a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck south on Thompsonville Road and was unable to stop completely prior to entering Corinth Road, according to the accident report.

Oswald told Deputy Christopher Fozzard she did not see Ashley's Harley-Davidson Trike westbound on Corinth Road until just before impact.

The Ashleys were unresponsive at the accident scene, according to the report. Fozzard noted there was a breaking mark on the road left by the motorcycle's front tire as though Ashley was attempting to swerve into the eastbound lane while braking.

The motorcycle left the south side of the road after impact and overturned in a small ditch.

Both Ashley's were taken to Heartland Regional Medical Center and were transported to other hospitals. Vince Ashley was taken to a St. Louis, Mo., area hospital where he died.

The Board of Directors of HMC released a statement expressing remorse at the accident and prayers and sympathy to Melinda Ashley.

"Vince's vision, leadership, and determination have been vital in the success of HMC and to the delivery of quality healthcare for the people we serve. The Board remains confident that the Administration and staff of HMC will continue to deliver quality healthcare to the people of southeastern Illinois," Chairman of the HMC Board Jim Hayes said, in a prepared release.

The board met in emergency session Monday to name HMC Vice-President of Operations/Compliance Officer Rodney Smith as acting President and CEO.

Deborah Schaefer of Cincinnati, Ohio, classmate of Ashley, said she received word Ashley had died Sunday evening and had spent much of Monday in tears.

She described their 1969 class of Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Mo., as an eclectic group of 450, including celebrities Rush Limbaugh and Terry Jones, pastor who periodically advocates the burning of the Koran.

Ashley would drive from his home in Galatia frequently to meet with classmates in Cape Girardeau, Mo., for parties, Shaefer said.

Shaefer was planning a party in Ashley's honor in three weeks in Branson, Mo. It was to be a party observing Ashley and wife's three month wedding anniversary.

"He was just over the moon happy. We were going to give him a wedding party in Branson, Mo.," Shaefer said.