James H. Lutz, who was 70 years old and from Rural Chrisman, was recognized as the person who passed away as a result of the accident by the Edgar County Coroner, Scott Barrett. The authorities stated that a white truck was traveling north before crossing the center lane and colliding with the black truck that was being driven by Lutz coming from the opposite direction.
Once the incident occurred, the truck driven by Lutz went off the road and eventually came to a stop in a ditch on the west side of the highway. Before coming to a stop in the lane that was traveling south, the white truck had proceeded a short distance in the northbound direction. The State Police have reported that they are currently present at the scene of a deadly collision. At around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, a collision involving two automobiles that occurred on Illinois Route 1 near 1960 East Road in Edgar County brought about a head-on collision.
A single individual was pronounced dead at the site, according to the State Police. Another individual with injuries that were considered to be life-threatening was going to be flown to a neighboring hospital. The Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Jackson served as the location for Jim’s baptism and confirmation. After completing his elementary and secondary education at Riverside Elementary and Jackson High School, where he participated in both basketball and baseball, he graduated with the class of 1966.
After completing his high school education, Jim went on to enroll at Worthington Junior College. On January 18, 1968, he was subsequently drafted into the United States Army. He completed his first training and advanced instruction in Fort Lewis, Washington. Jim decided to serve his country by becoming a rifleman in the jungles of Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne Division. He embarked on his journey to Vietnam in June of 1968. Some of the awards that Jim received include the Soldier’s Medal, the Bronze Star with the First Oak Cluster, and other honors.
After driving there with his younger sister in the black Pontiac 4×4, Jim went back to the United States and completed the remainder of his sentence in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He did this with a sense of pride. Jim received a discharge from the United States Army on January 16, 1970, with honorable consequences. On September 13, 1970, Jim and Mary Jo Raasch exchanged their vows and became husband and wife.
Shannon Lorel and Elizabeth Kristine are the names of the two granddaughters that were born to this relationship. After getting married, Jim completed the powerline program at Jackson Vocational School, where he earned his first lineman position. He then went on to work for Traverse Electric in Wheaton, Minnesota, and eventually started working for the City of Jackson as a lineman until he retired in 2005.
Following that, Jim was employed by Missouri River Energy in Lake Park, Iowa, for a period of time. Participating in the activities of his children and, later, his grandkids was one of Jim’s favorite interests. He also enjoyed fishing, golfing, and hunting. The Good Samaritan Society in Windom, Minnesota was the location where Jim died away in a calm and peaceful manner on February 14, 2024.
