Southern Illinois man dies before race

INDIANAPOLIS -- Authorities remained uncertain Monday of the source of carbon monoxide fumes that filled a family's recreational vehicle near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, killing one person and leaving three hospitalized.

The fumes sickened five members of a Southern Illinois family inside the RV parked across the street from the speedway, where they were found unresponsive shortly before Sunday's Indianapolis 500. As three of 43-year-old Michael Thies' in-laws remained hospitalized, many in his hometown mourned the death of a former village board member.

Lt. Trent Theobald of the town of Speedway's police department said the fumes did not appear to have come from the family's RV, which was hooked up to an electrical source with its generator not in use.

"It was a working generator, but they were saying that they didn't run it," Theobald said.

Thies' wife was treated and released from a hospital, but her father, Charles Buss, 69, of Marissa, Ill., and uncle, Fred Buss, 61, of Oakdale, Ill., were listed in serious condition Monday at Wishard Memorial Hospital. Debrah Buss, who is Charles Buss' 53-year-old wife, was listed in fair condition.

Two others who traveled to the race with the group slept outside the RV, which was owned by one of the Buss brothers, Theobald said.

Word of Thies' death spread quickly in his hometown of Ruma, a village of just 250 people about 45 miles southeast of St. Louis that is so small it doesn't have its own grocery store or ZIP code.

-- AP