Ridgeway man charged after crash that killed passenger

A southern Illinois man was charged as the driver in a crash that killed one passenger and injured another person.

The Saline County State’s Attorney’s Office filed the charges against 21-year-old Jacob C. Ahrens of Ridgeway after a crash that happened back on August 8th.

Illinois State Police said that they were called after a truck on IL-34 near Galatia ran off the road and crashed. Ahrens and a passenger were flown to a hospital, but the other passenger, 20-year-old Mattix T. Sandifer of Ridgway, died at the scene.

Ahrens was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs involving death, and aggravated driving under the influence involving personal injury.