A press release from the Woodstock Police Department:
FATAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Woodstock, IL – On Monday August 22, 2011 at 8:34 AM the Woodstock Police Department and the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to the area just West of Route 47 on Route 14 in reference to an I.D.O.T. maintenance employee being struck by a vehicle.
Upon arrival officers found that the I.D.O.T. employee, identified as Ryan J. Nichols from Kenosha, WI had been struck by a vehicle in traffic which resulted with fatal injuries.
Preliminary investigation determined that a Mercury Grand Marquis driven by 67 year old James J. Berles of Woodstock had been traveling West bound on Route 14, when in the area just west of Route 47, struck Ryan M. Nichols.
Due to the injuries Mr. Nichols sustained he was transported to the Woodstock Centegra Hospital by the Woodstock Fire Rescue District where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.
The Woodstock Police Department is continuing with the investigation and charges are pending.
How sad an incident like this has happened.
The article states this worker was from Wisconsin and employed by I.D.O.T.?
Just wondering how many other workers are not Illinois residents?
Shouldn’t an Illinois project only employ Illinois workers?
Wisconsin…Illinois. The point is that this man lost his life and his family lost their dad today. Show a little respect for the hardship his family will experience this day forward. He was a working man just like you, providing for his family. I know I will miss him as he was a part of our family.
Take some time to hug and love your family because you can. Xoxo
You have the nerve to question Illinois vs Wisconsin workers when someone just died. What is wrong with you?
A young man is killed and all you (American Born) can talk about is that he lived in Wisconsin and worked in Illinois? Heartless.
Are you serious? It doesn’t make a difference where he’s from. How shallow of you to bring up such a thing when this man lost his life. He had a wife small children and family and friends that are mourning his death. He could be from Alaska for all I care even the moon. He was a good person, a great engineer and will be truly missed. Sending my prayers to all his loved ones.
That comment should be taken down! Ryan was my neighbor and has 3 small children under the age of 5. It doesn’t matter where he lived, what matter is that a family is missing their husband and father. He was a hard worker who provided for his family. May he rest in peace
Collettim I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a good friend from college.
Engineer101 – you are so right. He was a great person and everyone will miss him very much. =(…….
Ryan Nichols is survived by his wife and three boys. The boys are 3 and 5 months(twins).
This man was my brother in-law and deserves a hell of a lot more than someone determining who should work for the state of illinois.
How ignorant can one individual be?
Americanborn, get a clue, I know I’m hurting right now, but after that comment
I feel you should have been in his place, maybe eliminate some of the stupid genes out of the pool!
I am extremely sorry for your loss. i did not know ryan but was at the scene and please know that he was not alone. there were people there comforting him. My prayers go out to your family.
Angie, thank you for the kind words. It brings a little comfort knowing that he did not have to spend his last moments alone.
Ryan is my older brother and the loss of him has devastated our family.
Anyone that would question him working for IDOT amongst this trageday is heartless and cruel.
Shouldn’t we focus on the fact that he was hit by a man driving a car and this man is sitting in his house, with his family right now?
My nephews have lost their daddy, my sister in law her husband, my parents their son and we lost a brother. Shouldn’t that be what is important? Ryan loved his job, as anyone would tell you. He was born to be an engineer.
As for you AmericanBorn, you should think before you speak.
Did you not know his family would see this?
How could someone be so flippant regarding the loss of someone’s life by cheapening it with such idiotic comments?
We are in enough pain without your stupidity.
I thank those of you that took the time to provide kind words about my brother and his family. He will be missed more than I could ever express.
We all lost a piece of us that day…there will never be enough tears shed over Ryan. We love and miss you.
My Prayers are with you and your family.
I was also with your brother as a caregiver and provided
a statement to the police.
I am a construction worker and have worked on many of Ryans jobs, including Rt 14 earlier in the year.
This is truly a tragedy, my thoughts and prayers are with you, the family.
We are all mourning his loss. Words just can’t express how his death has impacted us.
God Bless You.
agree could be from anywhere ..a hardworking man has lost his life …
even if you dont know him or his family compassion is a word to learn…
god bless his whole family and most of all his small children
god now has a warrior up there to look out for them
there will be extra prayers for the entire family and friends of this man
god bless
Dan Harley, thank you.
The events that day are still quite fuzzy for us. We are still trying to understand what led up to this horrific tragedy and the subsequent events that followed. We thank those that were there in his time of need and that he did not leave us alone.
If we have taken anything away from this, it would be that there are good people out there.
Good people that would stop and help a stranger and hold his hand and take care of him at his most vulnerable time of need.
That these same people have given us some comfort knowing that Ryan wasn’t alone and that people were trying to help him pull through.
To those good people, thank you just isn’t enough.
I just heard of this tragedy on tuesday.
I knew ryan since we were 12 years old. I went to school with his sister, I worked with his brother.
They are good people and don’t deserve the ridiculous questions from narrow minded people in this time of grief.
He was a good guy. One of few. I will miss him dearly.
He always smiled and had a positive outlook on everything.
The world is a little darker without him in it.
To Ryans family, I am so very sorry for your loss.
Anyone who knew him was lucky to have him in their life and I can’t express how sorry I am for all of you.
As for AmericanBorn-There is a time and place for everything. Now is not the time for your stupidity to fly. Karma is out there, and I hope it knocks on your door.
I just saw Fred tonight, and he told me about Ryan. I am soooo very very sorry for your loss.
I remeber him graduating high school, and some great times at your familys house.
Seems so long ago. My prayers are with his Wife, Children, Mother, Father, Sister, and Brother.
May God Bless you all.
You are all in my prayers
American born , u sir are a piece of trash for a post of such nature, have a little respect, think before you open your mouth
He is my dad