Testimony resumes Wednesday morning in the bench trial of Justin Bullard of Iuka who faces murder and multiple other charges in connection with a fatal traffic crash at West Main and Hotze Road in Salem on May 4th that claimed the life of Nita Mobley.
Bullard’s attorney Patrick Costa made an opening statement admitting that his client was morally and legally responsible for Mobley’s death but said what happened wasn’t murder. In addition to first-degree murder, Bullard is charged with aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death, aggravated street racing, and reckless homicide.
Among the witnesses was Austin Back of Salem who was with Bullard throughout the day of the fatal crash including a trip to Crossroads Tavern in Sandoval where he was a passenger in Bullard’s truck. While on the stand, Back admitted to drinking a few alcoholic drinks and shots with Bullard but said he was not concerned about his ability to drive home. When asked about details of the crash, Back admitted having trouble remembering the actual crash because of the severe injuries he received. But he thought the light was turning from yellow to red as they entered the Hotze Road intersection.
His answers on the stand contrasted with an interview he gave to State Police in a St. Louis Hospital between several surgeries the morning after the crash. During that video interview that was played back during the trial, Back said Bullard was absolutely drunk and shouldn’t have been driving.
Back returned to the stand after the lunch break to be asked about the discrepancies between the two stories. He said he did not remember telling the State Police Special Agent during the first interview about Bullard being drunk.
The drivers of three vehicles reported being passed on the shoulder at a high rate of speed by a pickup on US 50 between Sandoval and Salem to be quickly followed by another car passing on the right that appeared to be chasing the pickup. Testimony indicated they later saw the same pickup involved in the fiery crash.
A Goreville couple both testified to the pickup traveling extremely fast toward the intersection as they were stopped at a red light. Both Steven and Brandy Kwiatkowski testified separately that it appeared the pickup speeded up when running the red light and collided with the SUV in the process of making a left turn from westbound Main onto Hotze Road. The couple were joined by several other witnesses traveling at the intersection at the time of the crash who testified to Mobley’s vehicle bursting into flames after being knocked into the air and against a pole following the collision.
Brandy Kwiatkowski also recalled running up to Mobley’s vehicle and seeing her trying to get out of her burning car and appearing to reach for her hand for help. She sobbed at her inability to get to Mobley to help. Kwiatkowski and others said the fire was too hot for anyone to be able to get to the car.
In the brief afternoon session, the General Manager of Schmidt Ford Michael Russell explained their 15-camera security system that showed the crash at Hotze and West Main. Illinois State Police DCI agent Lucas Schilling, who retrieved the video, then testified to reviewing the footage which he said showed Bullard’s pickup running a red light and hitting Mobley’s SUV.
The trial will continue on Wednesday with testimony expected about the autopsy and from the coroner and accident reconstructionist among others.
Meanwhile, the driver of the other vehicle that Bullard was allegedly street racing, 27-year-old Derik Coomer of East Boone in Salem, has charges of aggravated reckless driving resulting in bodily harm pending against him.
