FOUR ARE HURT IN HEAD-ON COLLISION

MCCLURE, Ill. -- Four people were injured in a head-on collision in McClure Thursday afternoon.

Illinois State Police said Nancy Biler, 24, of Chaffee was driving north on Route 3 when she crossed the center line and struck an oncoming car driven by Jackie Gleason, 54, of Cape Girardeau.

Gleason and a passenger received major injuries. Gleason was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau where he was in serious condition late Thursday. The passenger, Richard Porzelt, 50, of Jackson, was in serious but stable condition late Thursday at Southeast.

Biler also suffered major injuries and was in stable condition late Thursday at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. A passenger in her car, 6-year-old Jennifer Biler suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at St. Francis.

The accident occurred in front of the McClure Elementary School at about 4:30 p.m., the patrol said.

Biler swerved into the other lane to avoid striking traffic that had slowed in her lane. She was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and improper lane usage, the patrol said.