BENTON - Icy road conditions Wednesday morning are being blamed for a single-vehicle wreck east of Benton that resulted in major injuries to a 17-year-old Logan youth.

Joshua Brock, a senior at Benton High School, was injured in the crash that took place shortly before 8 a.m. on Illinois 34 about three miles east of Benton.

Capt. Don Jones of the Franklin County Sheriff's Department said Brock was westbound, heading toward Benton, and lost control of his vehicle immediately after crossing a bridge.

Jones said the preliminary indication is that Brock hit an icy patch, sometimes referred to as "black ice" and then left the roadway on the north side.

The vehicle then went down an embankment and struck a tree. Brock, who was en route to school when the accident happened, had to be extricated from the car and was then airlifted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. A hospital spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon Brock's condition was listed as critical.

Jones issued an alert to drivers, particularly young drivers, to be aware of quickly changing weather conditions this time of year.

"We had lots of rain in the last couple of days but the temperature was above freezing," Jones said. "Then overnight the temperature dropped below freezing and of course bridges, with the wind going under them, will ice over. Many times even when it is not cold enough to cause significant icing on the roads, bridges will still ice over. Right now the indication is that he (Brock) left the roadway right after he crossed the bridge. It's very important for drivers, particularly young drivers, to exercise extra caution when weather conditions are changing quickly."

Brock had recently been named to the Southern Illinois River-to-River Ohio Division All-Conference first team defense.

The latest accident marks the second Benton High School senior to be seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident on that particular stretch of road on Illinois 34. Cindy Rose, 17, was the passenger in a vehicle that left the roadway in a similar fashion on Nov. 13. Rose was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Elizabeth Garrett, 16, that was also traveling west on Illinois 34. Garrett ran off the road and then overcorrected and lost control and crossed the center line before leaving the roadway on the south side of the road. Rose was ejected from the vehicle and received major injuries. She is recuperating in a St. Louis hospital where she is expected to recover.

Benton High School Principal Sue Woodfin was shaken by the two successive accidents noting that she had spoken with Rose by phone Wednesday morning. Woodfin called Brock "sweet kid - a good kid" and said Wednesday's accident has cast a somber mood over the entire student body.

Woodfin echoed the words of Jones about young drivers.

"It's something that we just don't do - take our kids out and drive at night and in other type of conditions," Woodfin said. "Kids get in a hurry and then something like this happens. It's important to slow down and take a little extra time."

writeon1@shawneelink.net 618-625-2006