{
    "title": "Illinois State Police Arrests Highland Man for Reckless Homicide After Two Killed in Hamel Crash",
    "modified_at": "2026-10-28 18:18:04",
    "published_at": "2026-10-28 18:18:00",
    "url": "https://illinois-state-police.prezly.com/illinois-state-police-arrests-highland-man-for-reckless-homicide-after-two-killed-in-hamel-crash",
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    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: center\">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">October 28, 2026</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>HAMEL </strong>&ndash; Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 Special Agents arrested 30-year-old Garret C. Miller of Highland, IL, following a crash in Madison County that killed two people.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">On October 25, 2026, at approximately 5:43 p.m., ISP Troopers responded to a crash on IL-140 west of Hoxey Road in Hamel. Miller was driving a GMC truck eastbound on IL-140 and for an unknown reason crossed the center lane markings entering the westbound lanes. The truck struck a Dodge sedan head-on. The driver of the sedan, 65-year-old Justina L. Tennikait of Bethalto, was pronounced deceased on scene. The passenger of the sedan, 84-year-old Sharon C. Powell also of Bethalto, was transported to a regional hospital and later pronounced deceased. Miller was also transported to a hospital with injuries.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">On October 27, 2026, ISP presented the case to the Madison County State&rsquo;s Attorney&rsquo;s Office, which approved two counts of Aggravated DUI Resulting in Death (Class 2 Felony) and two counts of Reckless Homicide (Class 3 Felony). Miller remains in custody at the Madison County Jail pending his first court appearance. </p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/44830838-e138-43a8-8440-be85821dd519/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Garret C. Miller (M/30) \"\n                id=\"image-44830838-e138-43a8-8440-be85821dd519\"\n                data-id=\"44830838-e138-43a8-8440-be85821dd519\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/44830838-e138-43a8-8440-be85821dd519/-/inline/no/Untitled\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/44830838-e138-43a8-8440-be85821dd519/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Garret C. Miller (M/30) \"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\">Garret C. Miller (M/30) </figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.<br>\u200b</em></p><p style=\"text-align: center\">###</p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-2d8582c3-6660-46ec-be9a-ede92e8776d0\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/c186f24e-632d-4a36-87df-aa1eb28e1989/-/crop/425x425/63,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Illinois State Police\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Illinois State Police</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Public Information Office, Office of the Director</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/@ILStatePolice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"@ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-twitter release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-twitter\"></use>\n            </svg>@ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ILStatePolice/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-facebook release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-facebook\"></use>\n            </svg>ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://isp.illinois.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"isp.illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>isp.illinois.gov</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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