DeKalb Police identify man killed in hit-and-run, make arrest in fatal downtown crash

DeKALB — The man killed in an apparent hit-and-run incident Tuesday morning on East Lincoln Highway has been identified, DeKalb police said, and a DeKalb man has been charged after the fatal crash.

DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd said Wednesday the victim is William Mason, 73.

DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller said there was no set address listed for Mason. Miller said Mason’s autopsy was Wednesday and he determined Mason died of internal injuries from the crash, with his death being ruled accidental.

Miller said Mason’s listed time of death is 9:07 a.m. Tuesday. Mason was pronounced dead at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.

Late Wednesday, DeKalb police announced James E. Simmons, 26, of DeKalb, was arrested in connection with Mason’s death. Simmons is charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death, refusal to render aid, driving on an expired license and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Simmons is being held at DeKalb County Jail awaiting a bond hearing Thursday. If convicted of the most serious crime, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a Class 1 felony, Simmons could face up to 15 years in jail and fines up to $25,000.

The update comes after Byrd said the crash happened at about 8 a.m. in downtown DeKalb.

“From what they could tell, this was definitely a crash,” Byrd said Tuesday. “We’re still trying to piece together the crash, but he was struck and the vehicle continued.”

DeKalb police responded around 8 a.m. Tuesday to the 200 block of East Lincoln Highway in downtown DeKalb after reports of a person lying unconscious in the road, Deputy Chief Jason Leverton said.

Lincoln Highway was closed from Second to Third Street for about an hour Tuesday as a result of the incident.

This story was updated at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022 with information from DeKalb police related to an arrest made in the fatal crash Tuesday.