William Klaersch Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash in Galena, Illinois on September 9, 2025

On September 9, 2025, a fatal single-vehicle incident occurred in rural Galena, Illinois, resulting in the death of 77-year-old William Klaersch. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene shortly after 2 p.m. on W. Longhollow Road, where an SUV traveling on private property rolled into a ravine and struck several trees.

According to authorities, 82-year-old Beverly Van Dyke-Klaersch was operating the SUV when she and Klaersch exited the vehicle under the assumption it was in park. The SUV began to roll forward toward a steep slope. Van Dyke-Klaersch re-entered the vehicle in an attempt to stop it but was ejected as it descended. William Klaersch was unable to escape and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation remains ongoing.