Names Released in Fatal Head-On Collision Near Galena

A quiet Thursday (10/23/2025) evening turned tragic on US Route 20 near Galena when a 64-year-old man from Wisconsin lost his life in a head-on collision, leaving a local couple shaken but unharmed.

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The Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office reports that the crash occurred around 8:17 PM on Thursday, October 23rd, about two miles northwest of Oldenburg Lane. Deputies responding to a 911 call found a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser in a ditch, heavily damaged on the front and driver’s side. A green Rivian RIT, driven by Patrick Jung with his wife Rhea as a passenger, was stopped in both lanes of the road.

Preliminary investigations suggest that Aleksandr Avanesov of Benton, Wisconsin, was traveling westbound in the PT Cruiser when he crossed the center line, striking the eastbound Rivian head-on. Patrick and Rhea Jung were evaluated by Galena EMS at the scene but chose to refuse transport. Avanesov was taken to Midwest Medical Center in Galena, where he was later pronounced deceased.

The crash remains under investigation by the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit. Assisting agencies at the scene of the accident included the Galena Police Department, Galena Fire & EMS, Hazel Green Fire, Menominee-Dunleith Fire, Illinois Department of Transportation, and Guy’s Towing.

Remember a single lapse in attention while driving can have life-altering consequences. It is also important to remember that we are rapidly approaching a time when we will be sharing the roadways with deer more and more. With the time change set for this weekend, it's important to remember that deer-vehicle collisions spike by 300% in the week following the end of Daylight-Saving Time. Stay safe on the roads.