The Auburn man who is now facing charges in a fatal crash on Interstate 55 last week had been stopped by police shortly before the deadly collision, but left the scene in defiance of the officer’s instructions.
The State Journal-Register reports that a Divernon police officer pulled 44-year-old Shane Woods over near the Chatham-East Lake Drive exit, a couple of miles south of where the accident occurred. Authorities have not revealed why Woods was stopped, but he reportedly left the scene during the traffic stop. The Divernon officer did not pursue, but called Sangamon County for backup, and a deputy was en route when the fatal crash occurred near the Toronto Road exit.
A North Carolina woman died in the accident. Woods is facing charges including reckless homicide and DUI… and is also awaiting sentencing on unrelated federal charges stemming from his involvement in the 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
