Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for February 18, 2009 TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

Sheriff's Car Backs Over Mother-In-Law

By: Jackie McPherson
jmcpherson@wsiltv.com

CAIRO-- State police are investigating a deadly accident involving the Alexander County sheriff.

Sheriff David Barkett was responding to a domestic violence call early Wednesday morning, but as he backed out of a driveway near his home, he ran over his mother-in-law.

The accident happened just before 1:30 A.M.

Officers say the victim - Mary Elizabeth Burnley - suffered from Alzheimer's and wandered out of her home, into the path of Barkett's vehicle.

Police say Barkett's squad car was parked next to his home on 28th Street in Cairo, but as he backed out, tragedy happened.

"He hit a pedestrian as he was responding to the call" says Bridget Rice with Illinois State Police in Ullin.

Police say the victim was Barkett's mother-in-law - an Alzheimer's patient who lived next door.

"She was 87 years-old and she was pronounced dead at the scene" says Rice.

Barkett declined to speak on camera - But his office released a statement calling the incident simply "a tragic vehicular accident."

Services for Mary Burnley will be held at the Jones Funeral Home in Kevil, Kentucky. Visitation is Friday from 5 until 8.

The funeral service is Saturday at eleven.

No charges have been filed at this time, but state police say the investigation continues.

Death of Alexander County sheriff's mother-in-law called 'a tragic accident'

By Peg McNichol
Southeast Missourian

PDF: Alexander County Sheriff Department statement (246 kilobytes)

CAIRO, Ill. — The Alexander County Sheriff Department called the death of Sheriff David Barkett's mother-in-law "a tragic vehicular accident" in a written statement issued Wednesday.

The woman had Alzheimer's disease according to a brief statement issued Wednesday afternoon by chief deputy Stephen W. Thomas. The statement said the woman lived next door to her son-in-law.

Barkett was responding to a domestic violence call in his squad car about 1:25 a.m. Wednesday and was backing out of the driveway of his Cairo home when he struck Mary Elizabeth Burnley, 87, according to the Illinois State Police. A state police team is investigating the incident, according to Trooper Bridget Rice, who said Burnley had been on foot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Barkett called the Cairo Police Department after the incident and Cairo police called state police investigators. The Alexander County Sheriff Department was not called to the scene, according to an unidentified sheriff department employee who said Barkett is not currently on duty, "although he was at the time of the incident."

Rice said no charges had been filed against Barkett, and it was uncertain if any would be; she said she did not know what charges might apply but that if he was charged with anything, he would be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

She said the team of state investigators includes a crash reconstruction specialist and that the team handles investigating "99.9 percent of fatal crashes in the region."

The mood at the Alexander County Courthouse, where the sheriff's department is located, was glum Wednesday afternoon. In Cairo's Historic Park District, where Barkett's and Burnley's homes are located, cars lined the street as family and friends arrived to comfort the family.

Burnley, whose husband died in 2006, is survived by her two children, their spouses, two granddaughters, two grandsons and one great-grandson.

'A tragic accident'

By Scott Fitzgerald, The Southern

CAIRO - Alexander County Sheriff David Barkett apparently backed over his 87-year-old mother-in-law, killing the woman early Wednesday morning.

Illinois State Police said they are investigating the death as a fatal accident. No charges have been filed.

Mary Elizabeth Burnley was pronounced dead at the scene by members of the Alexander County coroner's office.

The sheriff was in his squad car and responding to a domestic violence call about 1:25 a.m. He was backing out the squad car, which was parked at his mother-in-law's home next door to his own, when the car struck Burnley, according to sate police.

A news release from the Alexander County sheriff's office said Burnley died "as result of a tragic vehicular accident."

She was an Alzheimer's patient, according to the sheriff's office, and lived in the home next to Barkett's at 727 Holbrook in Cairo Historic Park District.

Capt. Arnold Burris of the sheriff's department said Barkett had been called by a deputy for assistance on a domestic violence call in McClure.

As the sheriff backed his squad car parked in the driveway of the Burnley residence, "he thought he hit a tree limb," Burris said.

Burris said Burnley apparently had wandered outside in the rainy weather and may have slipped and fallen behind the squad car.

Barkett called the Cairo Police Department by radio and asked for assistance at the residence, the sheriff's department said.

Mounds of tree limbs felled by recent winter storms could be seen Wednesday at residences throughout the historic park district and at St. Mary's Park across the street from the Barkett and Burnley homes.

Barkett declined to talk to reporters at his residence Wednesday. A woman who stepped outside for a moment said "they (family members) are broken up about it."

Alexander County Coroner Willie Bingham said he ordered an autopsy, and a ruling on the death will be made public in six to eight weeks, when Illinois State Police complete its investigation.

The investigation includes measurements and pictures at the accident scene from an ISP crash reconstruction team, which is normal protocol, said Trooper Bridget Rice, the District 22 public information officer.

Barkett worked as a coroner for 20 years before being elected Alexander County sheriff in 2006. He owns Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo.

Services for Burnley will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Jones Funeral Home in Kevil, Ky., with Larry L. Potts officiating. Burial will be in Woodville Cemetery.

Friends may visit with the family from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.