Published: January 06, 2010 11:29 am      

Teens charged in wreck

Driver still in hospital after wreck Dec. 26

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — Traffic charges were filed this week against a local teenager injured in a wreck on the day after Christmas in rural Hamilton County.

Brandon D. Biggerstaff, 18, of McLeansboro, was still in the intensive care unit at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday morning.

Biggerstaff was thrown from a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee which he was driving on the night of Dec. 26 on Hamilton County Road 1400N, about three miles east of Illinois Route 242, Illinois State Police reported. The vehicle went off the north side of the road and overturned, police reported.

On Tuesday, charges of illegal transportation of alcohol, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to wear a seat belt were filed against Biggerstaff in Hamilton County Circuit Court, according to online court records.

Two passengers in the vehicle, Benjamin Scattone, 19, and Shelby A. Williams, 18, also were injured in the wreck but have since been treated at area hospitals and released. Scattone was also thrown from the vehicle, police reported.

Charges of illegal transportation of alcohol were also filed this week against Scattone and Williams, online court records indicated.

Biggerstaff, Scattone and Williams are all 2009 graduates of Hamilton County High School, and Biggerstaff and Williams were members of the 2008-09 Foxes basketball team that advanced to the Sweet 16 in postseason.

All three have court appearances scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 4.