More information has been pieced together regarding a death that occurred along Interstate 74 west of Tilton on Monday. Troopers say they were notified that a person was deceased along the interstate’s eastbound lanes (at mile post 213.5). State Police crime scene services were contacted, and Zone 5 Investigators were also summoned to assist.
Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden yesterday said that a 21-year-old Bradley University student had died from a self-inflicted gunshot would. The Crystal Lake native woman was pronounced dead at 5:35 PM Monday evening.
Neither the coroner nor the State Police released the name of the woman, but a release form Bradley university spokesman Gary Roberts yesterday identified the young lady as Nicole Baran, a criminal justice studies and psychology major. Flags on the Bradley campus will fly at half-staff for three days to honor the student’s memory.
Motorists driving past the scene Monday evening could see that there was a vehicle sitting along the passing lane – eastbound – which did not have any lights on. The interstate was still open in that area – between the G Street exit at Tilton and MLK exit west of Danville.
Tthe investigation into the incident is on-going.
