Decatur, Illinois – What began as an ordinary evening walk on Main Street turned into tragedy when two pedestrians were struck and killed by a speeding drunk driver. Now, the grieving families of the victims are speaking out, demanding justice and answers.
Mary, the sister of one of the victims, described the horrifying video of the crash. “In the blink of an eye, they were both gone,” she said. “They were alive, walking together, and then airborne, and in just seconds, they were deceased.”
The crash happened around 9 p.m. on August 21. Mary’s 31-year-old brother and his friend, 38-year-old Candace Wilt, were walking responsibly on the sidewalk, just steps away from his home. Suddenly, an SUV driven by Issiah Flagg veered onto the sidewalk at nearly 80 miles per hour, striking both pedestrians from behind.
A firefighter who lived nearby rushed to the scene and tried to assist, but Wilt was pronounced dead immediately. She had given birth earlier this year. Mary’s brother was resuscitated after initially dying at the scene but succumbed to his devastating injuries two days later in the hospital. His brain swelling became uncontrollable, and despite the family’s wish to fulfill his desire to be an organ donor, the rapid deterioration of his body made that impossible.
Initially, Flagg allegedly told investigators he drove onto the sidewalk because he was fleeing gunfire. Mary’s family said they tried to accept that explanation, believing it at least provided a reason for the reckless act. However, investigators later confirmed that no shooting had taken place and that Flagg was highly intoxicated at the time.
“Our hearts broke all over again,” Mary said. “He wasn’t running from anything. He was drunk, speeding in a residential area, and drove on the sidewalk for a block. Now my brother and Candace are both gone.”
Flagg was arrested on August 22 and charged with two counts of aggravated DUI resulting in death or great bodily harm. With Mary’s brother’s passing, one charge is expected to be upgraded to aggravated DUI causing death.
Adding to the family’s outrage, Flagg was reportedly out on pretrial release at the time of the crash. Court records show he has been arrested more than 50 times in Macon County, with several pending felony cases.
Mary expressed her family’s fear that Flagg could once again be released. “We just want justice,” she said. “No one deserves to die like that. Watching the video was awful. One second they were happy, walking on the sidewalk. The next second, they were gone.”
The families of both victims remain in deep grief but united in their call for accountability. “We hope the courts do the right thing in this case,” Mary added.