GALENA, Ill. (WTVO) — A 77-year-old man is dead after a tragic accident in rural Galena.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, around 2:09 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9th, Beverly Van Dyke-Klaersch, 82, was operating a 2016 Cadillac SUV on private property on W. Longhollow Road, east of Linden Trail.

With the vehicle believed to be in park, Dyke-Klaersch and her husband, William Klaersch, began to get out, only then realizing the vehicle was still in gear. The SUV began to roll forward toward a steep hill, investigators said, and Dyke-Klaersch attempted to get back into the driver's seat to stop it.

She was thrown from the vehicle as it began traveling down the slope.

Klaersch was unable to exit the vehicle as it struck several trees before coming to rest in a steep ravine, auth

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