77-year-old RV driver dies after being found trapped in remote area after storms pass through, sheriff says

PEORIA (WEEK/Gray News) - A 77-year-old RV driver from New York died after he was found stranded in Illinois after an extensive search conducted by authorities.

According to Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins, John F. Dubaic died shortly after search crews found him in the brush close to the Spoon River near Elmore.

Watkins said Dubaic may have been in the area since last week before severe storms hit on July 15.

He said Dubaic’s family last saw him in New York on July 13 leaving in his RV.

“What we’re guessing is that the storm came through and knocked a tree on his RV,” Watkins said. “The little path that he drove to get down to the river, trees fell down so he was completely trapped in there.”

On Tuesday at about 1 p.m., Watkins said the sheriff’s office was contacted by the Green Island Police Department in New York, who told them RV’s GPS had “pinged” on a property off of Cedar Bluff Road near Elmore.

Detectives then used a drone to find the RV, but didn’t see Dubaic.

After the search continued, Dubaic was found around 5 p.m. Detectives said he was breathing but not alert, and barely had a pulse.

First responders carried him through rough terrain and started CPR.

“Brimfield Fire and OSF Life Flight responded but unfortunately Dubaic was pronounced deceased after life saving measures were done for an extended amount of time,” Watkins said.

Watkins said the search was so difficult because of the tough terrain.

“Peoria County’s a very big county. There is the city and there are a lot of the rural areas. This was up in the northwest part of the county where not a whole lot of people come and go,” Watkins said. “There’s a huge hill they had to carry him up to get to our search and rescue team, so nothing was easy about this.”

Watkins said he wanted to thank all of the responding agencies and volunteers for their help, especially Knox County Sheriff Jack Harlan and his team.

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