Names Released in Fatal Head-On Collision Near Galena
A 64-year-old man from Wisconsin tragically lost his life in a head-on collision on US Route 20 near Galena on Thursday, October 23, 2025, while a local couple was left shaken but unharmed.
The Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office reported that the crash occurred around 8:17 p.m., approximately two miles northwest of Oldenburg Lane. Deputies responding to the scene found a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser in a ditch, heavily damaged, while a green Rivian RIT driven by Patrick Jung with his wife Rhea Jung as a passenger was stopped in both lanes of the road.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Aleksandr Avanesov, of Benton, Wisconsin, was traveling westbound in the PT Cruiser when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with the eastbound Rivian.
Patrick and Rhea Jung were evaluated at the scene by Galena EMS, but they declined transport to the hospital. Aleksandr Avanesov was taken to Midwest Medical Center in Galena, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash. Several local agencies, including the Galena Police Department, Galena Fire & EMS, and others, assisted at the scene.
Authorities remind drivers to remain vigilant and exercise caution as we approach the season when deer-vehicle collisions spike significantly following the end of Daylight-Saving Time.
Leave a Reply