‘She had dreams’: Family mourns 33-year-old woman killed in Belleville hit-and-run

A family is heartbroken after 33-year-old Emily Johnson of Mascoutah, Illinois, was killed in a hit-and-run crash early Thursday morning in Belleville.

The Belleville Police Department said Johnson was struck at about 3:30 a.m. on Green Mount Road, near the overpass of the St. Clair County Orchard Trail and not far from Eckert’s Orchard and State Route 15. 

Johnson was struck by a driver who fled before first responders arrived. She was rushed to the hospital but later died.

Her sister, Sarah Savchuk, told 5 On Your Side that Johnson was on her way to babysit for her nieces when the crash happened. She believes Johnson may have had a flat tire and was struck while trying to make it to her sister’s home.

“She was an amazing woman with a heart of gold,” Savchuk said. “She would give anyone the shirt off her back to help them. She had dreams. She was truly a pure soul. She wanted everyone to live freely. She was constantly coming up with ideas and storing them for the future to start her own businesses.”

Johnson leaves behind a large family, including five nieces and two nephews. “She was a sister. She was an aunt. She was a bright shining light,” Savchuk said.

By Thursday afternoon, Belleville police said detectives located the suspect’s car and took a person into custody. In a Friday update, the department said the suspect was released from custody pending further investigation and the review process was ongoing with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Savchuk said the family is “devastated, in shock, sick to our stomachs, confused” by her sudden death.

“We haven’t been given much information,” she said about the arrest. “I hope it’s the right person and I hope they have to live with the consequences and self-reflect on why they chose what they did. We’ll never know for sure if she could’ve survived had she gotten help sooner.”

Police are still piecing together what led up to the crash. Anyone with information is asked to call the Belleville Police Department at (618) 234-1212 or submit an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers at (866) 371-TIPS (8477).