Fulton, IL (September 4, 2025) – Five individuals were injured in a serious two-vehicle collision Wednesday morning in rural Fulton, according to a report from the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash occurred shortly before 10:48 a.m. on September 3 at the intersection of Garden Plain Rd and Sand Rd. Emergency crews arrived to find multiple victims trapped inside the vehicles. Firefighters and EMS teams from multiple jurisdictions performed extrications to remove all five occupants from the wreckage before transporting them to a nearby hospital for medical care.
Investigators with the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office stated that a Ford Explorer traveling northbound on Sand Rd failed to stop at a posted stop sign and subsequently struck a truck passing through the intersection.
Several local agencies assisted with the response, including the Fulton and Erie Police Departments, and fire/EMS teams from Morrison, Fulton, Albany, and Cordova. The intersection remained closed for an extended period while responders secured the area and investigators worked to reconstruct the crash.
As of this report, the investigation remains ongoing. The conditions of the injured individuals have not been released.
Our thoughts are with all five victims and their families as they recover from this serious accident.
Rural Intersection Crashes in Illinois
The crash at Garden Plain Rd and Sand Rd illustrates the unique dangers posed by rural intersections, particularly those without traffic signals. Despite the open visibility of country roads, intersections like these can become high-risk locations when stop signs are ignored or missed—often with devastating consequences.
In rural areas of Illinois, response times can be longer, and serious crashes may require the coordination of multiple agencies, as seen in this incident. The severity of this collision, involving entrapment and a multi-agency extrication effort, underscores how critical intersection control and driver attentiveness are in less densely populated regions.
Failure to obey posted signage remains a leading cause of rural traffic collisions in Illinois. These incidents often involve high speeds and limited roadway infrastructure, leaving little room for error. When vehicles collide at perpendicular angles—as is common in stop sign violations—injuries are typically severe.
In the aftermath of serious rural crashes, victims and their families often face extended recovery periods, financial burdens, and emotional trauma. Understanding legal options, obtaining proper documentation, and accessing support services early can make a crucial difference.
If you or someone close to you has been injured in a rural accident like the one in Fulton, it’s important to know your path forward.
At Local Accident Reports, we help victims of serious collisions access the resources they need—from medical referrals to legal support and recovery planning. Contact us today to take the first step toward securing the guidance and assistance you deserve after a devastating accident.
