Demented, anti-social behavior gives Peoria a black eye

July 14, 2007
By Billy Dennis

Good lord.

A Peoria woman died early Saturday after being struck by a cement block thrown from an Interstate 74 overpass.

Katrina S. Kelley, 26, 0f 5020 N. Bradford Woods was the passenger in a car driving westbound on Interstate 74 when the block was thrown from the Broadway overpass and crashed through the car windshield about 1:05 a.m. The car’s driver, Todd C. Foster, 43, of Peoria was not injured.

Am I not correct in recalling that this overpass is fitted with a rather securing high fence that should keep someone from tossing items onto the cars passing underneath? I may be thinking of another street. And what kind of person doesn’t realize the fatal consequences of this kind of behavior? What kind of person doesn’t care?

Look for the Peoria blogosphere to buzz about the decline of the city and civilization in general, and it’s hard to argue against that position.

My sympathies to the friends and family of the victim. I am just sick about how this makes Peoria look to others.

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6 Responses to “ Demented, anti-social behavior gives Peoria a black eye ”

  1. Peoria AntiPundit on July 14, 2007 at 5:06 pm

    I am outradged at this and yes they did fit this overpass (Broadway Street) with a very high screen. This happened before at the same overpass before the new interstate was built but no one was killed. It had to be kids but what parent would let kids run at 1 in the morning? I’ll tell you what kind but I am afraid you won’t allow me to post here again. Wait and see if the detectives turn up these jerks and charge them with murder. I shall refrain from blogging on this until then but I will bet they catch them.

  2. Pez on July 14, 2007 at 5:16 pm

    I will definitely be looking up at the bridges when traveling on I74 to/from work everyday now. Hopefully, these idiots won’t try this crap in broad daylight, but you never know.

  3. PeoriaIlliniosan on July 14, 2007 at 10:52 pm

    Happened to me on I-474 several years ago. Thank the Lord they had bad aim & timing as it bounced off the front bumper on the right-hand side. I would like to forget it, but today’s news brought it right back at me. God Bless the driver, who will live with unthinkable images for the rest of his life.

    I hope they find the bastard who did this.

  4. BJStone on July 14, 2007 at 11:42 pm

    Not only do I hope they find the bastard, but I hope he gets the death penalty. And I also hope George Ryan is nowhere to be found to commute the sentence.

    And Bill, that is EXACTLY what people in the towns I live/work/make calls in think of Peoria. You know why? Because is HAS become a cesspool. Sorry, but it has to be said. Most around Peoria don’t go to Peoria because they are damn scared to do so. They think the same way about Pekin, btw, so it’s not just “a race thing”. It’s the region. Too many sickos, nothing being done about it.

  5. FormerPeorian on July 15, 2007 at 11:36 am

    A few well placed wireless surveillance cameras would probably go a long way toward preventing this type behavior. At least the police would know exactly what happened. I have no problems with surveillance cameras being used in public places. Cities need to make more use of surveillance technologies which are cheaper and easier to implement than ever before.

  6. Vonster on July 16, 2007 at 8:00 am

    And BJ thinks I’M reactionary…. :-)