A Champaign jury ruled the summer car accident death of Eastern student Sheila Sue Henson a homicide Thursday, after hearing the driver’s toxicology reports.

Henson died from injuries suffered in the June 20 single-vehicle accident on Illinois Route 316.

Henson was the only passenger when the driver, Trisia A. Jones, lost control of the vehicle while traveling westbound.

“The driver was taken to the hospital. Officer Williamson did a test for blood alcohol content,” said Tad Freezeland, Coles County Sheriff’s Department detective sergeant. “Her blood alcohol content was 0.22 percent. Miss Jones had the presence of cocaine in her system.”

Bill Fabian, Champaign County Deputy Coroner, said Henson was pronounced dead at 7:05 a.m. June 21 at Carle Hospital in Champaign. He cited the cause of death as “traumatic head injuries.”

Freezeland, who was also present at the scene, testified in place of Deputy Thomas Williamson, who has since been called into military service in Iraq.

Freezeland testified he arrived at the scene at around 10:49 p.m. and witnessed a gray 1992 Ford Tempo facing eastbound.

“There was no other vehicle involved in the accident,” Freezeland said. “Route 316 is a curvy roadway. It appeared that off a curve, the vehicle overcorrected and slid.”

He said it was difficult to see the car because it had slid into the cypress trees off the road.

Jones was sitting at the wheel of the vehicle.

Freezeland said Jones told him, “I’ve got to go.”

He then saw Henson in the back seat.

“What I observed was, Miss Henson was ejected from the passenger seat, laying in the rear of the vehicle with her feet toward the door at an angle,” Freezeland said. “She had been knocked out of her shoes.”

He testified that Henson was having difficulty breathing.

“Within four to five minutes the ambulance arrived and began treatment immediately,” he said. “They got Miss Jones out first and transported her, then transported Miss Henson.”

Henson was then air lifted to Carle Hospital in Champaign.

Fabian said Henson’s toxicology results revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.14 percent and a urine sample “tested positive for opiates and cocaine.”

Freezeland said after the accident, the vehicle’s owner, Charles Ueleke, who was living with Jones, said he had been with Jones and Henson at the Icy Mug Tavern on Route 316 prior to the accident.

According to Freezeland, Ueleke said his last contact was around 8:30 p.m. when he believed they were leaving the bar.

“(Jones) said her last memory was at the bar, that they had had a few beers,” Freezeland said.

The bar was an estimated four to five miles from the accident scene.

Following Freezeland’s testimony, Fabian explained the jury’s verdict could be one of four options – accidental, suicide, homicide or undecided.

Following deliberation, the jury foreman announced a verdict of homicide, meaning another person was responsible for the death.

“This includes reckless homicide, vehicular homicide,” Fabian said.

According to Illinois statutes, reckless homicide when the offender is under the influence of alcohol or drugs is punishable with three to 14 years imprisonment.

Assistant State’s Attorney Duane Deters was unavailable for comment, but said previously that Jones is facing criminal charges for the accident.

Henson was 34 when the accident occurred. She is survived by her parents, Brenda Colman and Dan McGrew and children Kasandra Sue Henson, Kaleb Lee Kuhlman and Kodie Kristopher Henson.

“We’re satisfied,” family members said.

“I have no ill feelings toward Trisia, I just hope she’ll turn her life around, turn over to God and raise her children right.”

Henson was an undergraduate Family and Consumer Sciences major.

City Editor Carly Mullady can be reached at [email protected].