Highland Man Charged After Hamel Crash Kills Two
State Police say Garret C. Miller crossed into oncoming lanes on IL-140, striking a sedan and killing its driver and passenger.
HAMEL — A Highland man faces aggravated DUI and reckless homicide charges after a head-on crash killed two Bethalto residents Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Madison County, Illinois State Police said.
Garret C. Miller, 30, was arrested by special agents with the agency’s Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 following the Oct. 25 crash on Illinois 140 west of Hoxey Road in Hamel.
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Troopers responded at about 5:43 p.m. Sunday. Miller was driving a GMC truck east on Illinois 140 when, for an unknown reason, he crossed the center lane markings into the westbound lanes and struck a Dodge sedan head-on, police said.
The sedan’s driver, Justina L. Tennikait, 65, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her passenger, Sharon C. Powell, 84, was taken to a regional hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Both were from Bethalto.
Miller was also taken to a hospital with injuries.
State police presented the case to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office on Oct. 27. The office approved two counts of aggravated DUI resulting in death, a Class 2 felony, and two counts of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony.
As of Oct. 28, Miller remained in custody at the Madison County Jail pending his first court appearance.
The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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