At approximately 4:35 p.m., on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office Telecommunications received an iPhone Automatic Crash Notification homing to the intersection of Perkins Road and Mill Road, rural Prophetstown, IL.
Initial investigation by Deputies determined a 2007 black Ford sedan, driven by 40-year-old Jacob Penaflor of Prophetstown, was traveling southbound on Perkins Road, approaching the intersection of Mill Road. A 2024 black Chevrolet crossover, driven by 39-year-old Benjamin Weidel of Prophetstown, was traveling eastbound on Mill Road, approaching the intersection of Perkins Road. The Ford sedan failed to stop at the stop sign at Mill Road, and impacted the westbound Chevrolet crossover, causing the Ford to roll several times. Penaflor was transported via EMS for non-life threatening injuries. Weidel was pronounced deceased on scene.
Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office and Whiteside County Coroner’s Office were assisted on scene by Illinois State Police, Prophetstown Police Department, Prophetstown Fire Department and EMS, Yorktown Fire Department, Tampico Fire Department, Lyndon Fire Department, and Todd’s Tire & Auto Repair.
The crash remains under investigation by Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Crash
Reconstruction Unit.