BLOOMINGTON, IL – A quiet Sunday morning was shattered by a horrifying scene on the 1800 block of Springfield Road.
According to Bloomington police, it began around 3:23 a.m. when a vehicle violently collided with a tree, immediately bursting into flames. Bloomington Fire Department’s efforts to control the blaze unveiled a heartbreaking discovery: 27-year-old Travaye D. Clayton of Bloomington, the car’s passenger, had tragically perished inside.
Witnesses recounted the chilling sight of the driver escaping the inferno and disappearing into a nearby wooded area. In a tense pursuit, the Bloomington Police, assisted by their K-9 Unit, launched a search for the driver. Their relentless search culminated in the woods where the injured driver was discovered at the tree line’s base.
Rushed to a local hospital for his crash-induced injuries, the driver, whose identity has not been released, now faces severe legal consequences, including charges for failing to remain at a fatal crash scene.Â
Preliminary reports suggesting Clayton’s death resulted from burn injuries and smoke inhalation, post crash. Authorities are continuously piecing together the events of that fateful night and are requesting anyone with information to come forward.
