A regular workday ended in absolute tragedy for a Marion man on Wednesday. Seth Roberts, a 40-year-old road crew worker, went out for a shift in rural Jackson County and never made it home. His sudden death has left his family and coworkers completely devastated.
The incident happened on Koehn Road, a quiet stretch near Ava. Seth was working with a crew from Illini Asphalt on a routine resurfacing job. They were putting down an oil and chip seal when things took a horrific turn right around lunch time.
Investigators say Seth was standing on top of an aggregate spreader box while the crew worked. Somehow, he lost his footing and fell off the heavy equipment. He ended up pinned underneath the massive machinery, causing severe, life-threatening injuries.
His fellow crew members jumped into action immediately to help him. They called 911, and emergency responders rushed to the rural site. The call came in at 12:58 p.m., bringing a wave of police and medics to the scene.
The Jackson County Ambulance Service loaded Seth up and rushed him to a local hospital. Emergency room doctors and nurses worked fast to treat his severe injuries. Despite everyone’s best efforts, Seth died later that day from the trauma.
Multiple local agencies showed up to help during the crisis. The Ava Fire Department, Campbell Hill Fire Department, and Illinois State Police all assisted at the scene. Everyone involved was deeply shaken by how fast the accident happened.
Now, the Marion community is mourning a genuinely good guy who was taken way too soon. His family and friends are leaning on each other for support right now. They are focusing on the happy memories and the kind, dedicated person Seth always was.
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