Truck driver electrocuted while dumping load of feed
<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">An O'Fallon truck driver died Wednesday evening after apparently being electrocuted when he dropped off a load of cattle feed near Medora in southern Macoupin County.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Brian E. Johnson, 35, a driver for Beelman Trucking Co. in East St. Louis, was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m. by a deputy Macoupin County coroner.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Johnson hauled a load of cattle feed to Reno Farms and was at a drop-off site in the 10000 block of Little Flock Road, about 2 miles southeast of Medora. While dumping the feed out of his tractor-trailer dump truck, Johnson apparently elevated the dump trailer high enough that it came into contact with an overhead 7,200-volt power line.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Johnson was found unconscious at the tailgate area of his rig. The truck was running, and the dump bed was still fully elevated and touching the power line.</font>
<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Police said Johnson had burns on his hands and feet, and there were burn marks at areas where the tailgate touched the ground and at the tires, indicating the truck was electrified.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Emergency personnel used an insulated fiberglass pole to pull Johnson clear of the truck and then performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Workers from MJM Electric Co-op in Piasa, owner of the power line, arrived and de-energized it until the truck was safely cleared.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Responders included the Illinois State Police, Macoupin County sheriff's deputies, Medora police officers, Medora Fire and Rescue and Medora Ambulance.</font>