STEWARDSON, IL. (THECOUNT) — Keith Rentfro, 75, of Stewardson, Illinois, was killed Monday afternoon in a motorcycle-versus-vehicle crash in Shelby County, according to the Effingham County Coroner’s Office.
The fatal collision occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. September 14, 2026, on Route 32 in Stewardson near the Phillips 66 gas station.
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Preliminary information indicated Rentfro was riding a motorcycle southbound on Route 32 when a vehicle driven by Patty Renner, of Stewardson, pulled out of the gas station and attempted to travel northbound on the roadway.
The motorcycle and vehicle collided, throwing Rentfro from the motorcycle. He was transported to HSHS St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham, where he was pronounced dead at 3:47 p.m.
Renner was not injured in the crash.
At approximately 4:06 p.m., the Effingham County Coroner’s Office was called to the hospital emergency room in reference to the deceased motorcycle rider. Coroner Kim Rhodes and Deputy Coroner Lauren Heuerman responded and identified Rentfro.
The Illinois State Police, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Stewardson Police Department and Illinois State Police Reconstruction Unit responded to the crash scene.
An autopsy is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 16, at the McLean County Coroner’s Office in Bloomington. The examination is expected to help determine the official cause of death.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation by the Effingham County Coroner’s Office, Illinois State Police Troop 7 in Pesotum and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.
Additional information concerning the crash, including whether any citations will be issued, had not been released as of the latest report.
Stewardson is a village in Shelby County in central Illinois, approximately 25 miles southeast of Effingham and about 50 miles south of Champaign.
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