Woman dies when vehicle plunges into floodwater

MURPHYSBORO -- Authorities in Jackson County say a 28-year-old woman who died in an accident may have been a victim of floodwaters on the Big Muddy River.

The Jackson County Sheriff's department says Billi Wills was driving a sport utility vehicle Saturday morning when she lost control on a curve.

The vehicle plunged into the floodwaters, overturned and was submerged by the time emergency workers arrived. They say they could only see the tires sticking up from the surface of the water.

Paramedics gave Wills life support before taking her to St. Joseph's Memorial Hospital. Medical personnel there planned to airlift Wills to a St. Louis hospital for further treatment, but she died before that could happen.