On October 20, 2026, Griggsville, Illinois, resident Jaime L. Rhode was arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree murder. Law enforcement claims that Rhode deliberately steered into oncoming traffic on U.S. 54 in Pike County in late July, crashing head-on into a semi-truck.
The Victims
My Journal Courier reported that the tractor-trailer driver, Michael R. Richardson, was injured, but unfortunately, “one of the passengers, 73-year-old Cherie K. Wells of Pittsfield, later died from her injuries, according to authorities.”
It’s not clear how badly injured the other passenger in the car or Jaime L. Rhode were, although KHQA confirmed that they were treated in a hospital.
The Evidence
The collision happened on U.S. 54 near the top of Atlas Hill outside Atlas, Illinois, and a judge signed off on her arrest warrant Friday. According to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, she remains in jail.
What isn’t clear is what evidence led investigators to believe the crash was intentional. We only know that police investigating the collision determined that Rhode intentionally veered her car into an oncoming semi-truck, aiming to cause the deaths of everyone inside her car.
Similar Cases – Mackenzie Shirilla
One of the most well-known cases where a person was charged after allegedly deliberately killing a passenger was Mackenzie Shirilla.
She opted for a bench trial after she was accused of deliberately driving into a building, resulting in the deaths of her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan.
The prosecution argued that she deliberately drove into a brick wall with intent to kill Dominic. Reportedly, text messages showed that she had become aggressive with him.
The event happened in 2022, and she was found guilty of murder in 2023. Currently, she serves time behind bars without the option of parole until she’s served at least 15 years. She was 17 at the time of the crash.
Leigha Mumby’s Case
Another recent case involved Leigha Mumby in Florida. In her case, she was charged with vehicular homicide. Daniel Waterman, 22, her boyfriend, was in a coma, but he woke up and managed to tell doctors what happened before he passed away.
A particularly interesting bit of information included the fact that Waterman had already dialed 911. When he told the doctors what happened, Leigha was arrested at the hospital.
Prosecutors said she’d been driving recklessly during an argument. People Magazine reported that she was found guilty in court on Wednesday, Oct. 14, after a two-day trial. The outlet also reported that it only took “the jury one hour and 11 minutes to reach a verdict.”
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