WATAGA, IL (December 4, 2025) — A fatal collision on U.S. Highway 34 near Wataga in rural Knox County has claimed the life of a 7th-grade teacher and coach at Galesburg Junior/Senior High School. The victim has been identified as Jordan Ball.
Accident Details: The incident occurred around 2:49 p.m. on Monday, December 1, when a gray Kia sedan collided with a truck-tractor semi-trailer at the intersection of U.S. 34 and 2200 North Road (also known as IL-167). Illinois State Police Troop 4 responded immediately, confirming one fatality at the scene.
Both directions of the highway were closed for several hours during the investigation and wreckage clearance, with the road reopening around 9:30 p.m.
Investigation: The Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the crash. Authorities have not released information about what caused the collision between the Kia sedan and the semi-truck at the intersection.
Legal Considerations: Collisions between passenger vehicles and commercial semi-trucks at intersections frequently result in fatal injuries to occupants of the smaller vehicle. When a sedan collides with a semi-trailer at an intersection, investigators must determine which driver had the right-of-way and whether either driver violated traffic laws.
Semi-truck drivers bear heightened responsibility to watch for other vehicles at intersections due to the massive size and destructive potential of their vehicles. If the truck driver failed to yield or entered the intersection unsafely, both the driver and the trucking company employing them can be held liable.
Conversely, if the Kia driver crossed into the truck’s path without yielding, fault may rest with the sedan driver. Intersection crashes require thorough reconstruction to establish how the collision occurred and who bore responsibility.
Ball’s death has devastated the Galesburg school community. In a Facebook post, Galesburg Junior/Senior High School described him as a caring educator who touched the lives of countless students. The school stated: “It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our dedicated 7th-grade teacher and coach, Jordan Ball.”
The loss of a teacher and coach affects not just family members but an entire community of students, parents, and colleagues who relied on Ball’s guidance and mentorship. Wrongful death claims in these cases seek compensation for funeral expenses, lost income and support, and the immeasurable loss of his presence in the lives of those who knew him.
ROE #33’s School Crisis Response Team is available in the library throughout the day to support students, parents, and staff as they process this loss.
Our sincere condolences to the family, friends, students, and colleagues of Jordan Ball during this time of profound grief.
Source: WGIL