Local News
ARCH Medical Helicopter Crashes During Training Exercise in Hartford
HARTFORD, IL — An ARCH Air Medical helicopter crashed and caught fire during a nighttime training exercise in Hartford, Illinois, shortly after 9:00 p.m. Wednesday.
The crash occurred near the intersection of South Delmar Avenue and West Hawthorne Street, just across from a local fire station in Madison County.
According to initial reports, the aircraft struck a tree approximately 50 feet off the ground while attempting to lift off.
The impact caused the helicopter to flip and crash, igniting a fire upon impact.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing two individuals exit the helicopter as it caught fire.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes, rescuing the individuals and working quickly to extinguish the flames. A third person was later recovered from the scene.
Officials confirmed that three individuals involved in the crash were transported to area hospitals — two by ground ambulance and one by air.
Their conditions have not yet been released, and no fatalities have been reported at this time.
The crash site is located just yards from a fire station, which allowed first responders to begin rescue and fire suppression efforts almost immediately.
Authorities from local and federal agencies are currently investigating the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been notified and are expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
The helicopter was conducting a standard training operation at the time of the incident. ARCH Air Medical, a critical care air transport provider serving the Midwest, has not yet issued an official statement.
This remains a developing story.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.