Illinois Mom Accused of Deliberately Crashing Into Semi With Son and Mother Inside as Sheriff Claims Suspect Was 'Afraid of Dying Alone'
The Illinois woman was accused of intentionally crashing her vehicle into a semi-truck
Oct. 23 2026, Published 4:07 p.m. ET
Jamie L. Rhode, a Griggsville, Ill., woman, was arrested after authorities alleged she deliberately drove her Toyota RAV4 into an oncoming semi-tractor, with her mother and teenage son inside.
Rhode, 47, was taken into custody Oct. 20 in connection with the July 24 crash on U.S. 54 near Atlas Hill in Pike County. Her 73-year-old mother, Cherie K. Wells, later died from injuries sustained in the collision.
Rhode and her son survived.
The Pike County Sheriff's Department said investigators determined Rhode purposely steered into the path of the oncoming truck "with the intent of killing all occupants of her vehicle."
Rhode faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
July Crash Near Atlas Hill
The crash that happened in July 2026 injured three people
Deputies responded to the head-on collision at about 7:54 p.m. on July 24, according to the sheriff's department. The crash happened on U.S. 54 about a mile east of Atlas, near the top of Atlas Hill.
Rhode was driving a Toyota RAV4 carrying Wells and her teenage son when the vehicle crossed the center line and struck a semi-tractor pulling a trailer.
The initial crash report said all three occupants of the passenger vehicle were transported to Illini Community Hospital before being transferred to other medical facilities.
Wells later died from her injuries at a hospital in St. Louis County, Missouri, according to authorities.
The semi-truck driver, identified as Michael R. Richardson, 62, of Robstown, Texas, was also taken to Illini Community Hospital after the crash.
The sheriff's department said the investigation eventually determined that the collision was intentional rather than an accident.
Sheriff Claims She Was Afraid of Dying Alone
Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood said that the woman reportedly planned to kill herself
Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood told PEOPLE that Rhode's alleged plan was to kill herself along with the two people riding with her.
"Her plan was to kill all three of them," Greenwood said. "Her plan was to kill herself and she was afraid of dying alone."
Greenwood also said Rhode had picked up her mother from a nursing home in Pittsfield before the crash. Authorities have not publicly disclosed additional details explaining what allegedly led Rhode to plan the collision.
The sheriff's department has not identified the teenage son publicly in its news release. His current condition has not been disclosed in the official information available about the case.
Charges and Arrest After Months-Long Investigation
The Illinois woman was arrested after a warrant was signed on October 16, 2026
The fatal crash occurred in July, but Rhode was not arrested until October after investigators reviewed the circumstances surrounding the collision.
According to the sheriff's department, a report was submitted to the Pike County State's Attorney's Office. Judge J. Frank McCartney signed an arrest warrant Oct. 16 charging Rhode with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. She was arrested Oct. 20 and booked into the Pike County Jail.
The two murder counts stem from Wells' death and the allegation that Rhode intended to kill everyone in the vehicle, while the attempted murder charge relates to a surviving occupant, according to authorities.
What Happens Next in Court
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Rhode's next court appearance is scheduled on October 23, 2026
Rhode was scheduled to appear in court Oct. 23. As of the latest publicly available reports reviewed for this story, authorities had not released additional court details or announced whether Rhode had obtained an attorney.
The case remains pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court. The Pike County Sheriff's Department specifically noted that suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
