Montgomery County, IL : A two-vehicle accident on Illinois 185 near Coffeen in Montgomery County on Saturday, 16th November, 2019

Four people, including two high school students, were killed in a two-vehicle accident on Illinois 185 near Coffeen in Montgomery County Saturday evening.

The accident, a quarter mile east of East 14th Road, occurred around 6:20 p.m. Coffeen is about an hour southeast of Springfield.

The Vandalia Community High School students were identified as Jenna Protz and Holly Lidy. There was a vigil for the students, both freshmen, at the high school Sunday.

William H. Protz, 73, and Jackolyn C. Protz, 72, of Sullivan were also killed in the crash. They were the grandparents of Jenna Protz.

The four were returning home from Williamsville, where they attended Saturday’s Class 3A quarterfinal football game.

William and Jackolyn Protz were the parents of Vandalia High School principal Randy Protz, who played football at MacMurray College in Jacksonville. Jenna Protz was Randy Protz’s daughter.

Jenna Protz was also the daughter of Brenda Protz of Springfield, a professor of communications at Lincoln Land Community College.

Holly Lidy’s mother, Anita Lidy, is a Vandalia Elementary School speech teacher.

“Our hearts are breaking for both of these families and our students,” read a post from Vandalia Junior High School’s Facebook page.

Source
on Sunday, 17th November, 2019 11/17/2019