Reckless Homicide Arrest In Crash Death Of Former Police Chief

CHAMPAIGN, IL — A Tennessee man faces reckless homicide charges in the crash death of a retired Illinois police chief who was working with a road construction crew this week.

Steven A. Cornett, 65, of Danville, was struck and killed early Wednesday morning on Interstate 74 in the Champaign area, officials said.

On Friday, Illinois State Police announced the arrest of 29-year-old Quamaine J. Fletcher of Whiteville, TN, on one count of reckless homicide.

State troopers had responded around 3:35 a.m. Wednesday for a crash involving a construction worker, later identified as Cornett, who was struck by a pickup truck hauling a trailer.

Fletcher, the driver of the pickup truck, was taken to an area hospital with injuries and arrested upon his release, state police said.

Fletcher faces three to 14 years in prison if convicted of reckless homicide.

Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz told WCIA that Fletcher admitted to driving 65 mph in the 45 mph construction zone and said the crash happened after he reached for his phone after it fell from where it was mounted onto the floorboard on the passenger side of the front seat.

After reaching to retrieve the phone, Reitz said Fletcher "veered off the side of the road, overcorrected, and ended up crashing into a parked construction vehicle with lights on it."

Cornett was the police chief in the small town of Tilton before retiring in 2017, according to The News-Gazette and Cornett's Facebook page.