Elderly St. Charles man's death ruled an accident

A Kane County coroner's jury ruled the death of an 84-year-old St. Charles man in a March 14 traffic crash an accident Wednesday after hearing testimony that the other driver might have had a seizure while behind the wheel.

Walter Lohmeyer died after his Chevrolet pickup was struck head-on by a 2005 Mini Cooper about 4:20 p.m. near the intersection of Route 38 and Kirk Road in Geneva.

On Wednesday, a police investigator testified that a witness said he saw the other driver - identified in court records as 29-year-old Alicia Sanchez of Geneva - appear to have a seizure, and followed her in the moments leading up to the crash.

Police said the Mini Cooper was going east on Route 38 when it went off the road, hit a sign and then crossed into oncoming traffic near Kirk Road, striking Lohmeyer's truck.

The investigation revealed the woman had no alcohol or drugs in her system, authorities have said. Sanchez was cited for driving without insurance and driving in the wrong lane.

At Wednesday's inquest, Lohmeyer's daughter, Patricia, told the jury her father was a "kind, honest and fair man" who at the time of his death had been tending to his wife of more than 60 years after a brain injury.

"What happened on the 14th wasn't fair," Patricia Lohmeyer said. "Dad was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Lohmeyer was a World War II veteran, his daughter said, and worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for more than 20 years.

The jury did not assign blame for the man's death in delivering its verdict.