ASKING FOR JUSTICE–A group is pictured outside of the Randolph County Courthouse on Monday morning listening to an update on what happened in court that morning. The hearing was for Nicholas Cook, who was the driver in an accident that took place in Steeleville on April 22, 2022 that killed Diane Gonzalez and Dakota Morrison.
Monday morning, Nov. 6, a sizable crowd carrying signs gathered outside of the Randolph County Courthouse in Chester. The only thing they wanted was to finally see some justice from a traffic crash where two people were killed.
The accident took place on April 22, 2022 around 1 p.m. in Steeleville. The initial report from the Illinois State Police said that Nicholas Cook, 34 at the time, of DuQuoin, was eastbound on Broadway Street in Steeleville in a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado and for unknown reasons crossed the westbound lane, striking a 2013 Harley Davidson that was stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of James Street and Broadway.
The motorcycle’s driver, Dakota Morrison, 26, of Chester, and his passenger, Diane Gonzalez, 31, of Steeleville, were fatally injured in the crash.
For more information, please see this week’s print edition.