Longtime Whiteside Area Career Center welding instructor dies in two-vehicle collision Thursday

DIXON – A longtime Whiteside Area Career Center welding instructor died Thursday afternoon when the pickup he was driving was struck by an SUV on state Route 26 at Timber Creek Road, the Lee County Sheriff's Department said this morning in a news release.

Justin Carter, 29, of Dixon, was westbound on Timber Creek just before 3:30 p.m. when he entered the intersection and collided with a southbound pickup driven by Steven Bierdeman, 61, of Dixon.

Bierdeman died at the scene. Carter was taken to KSB Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash is under investigation; no further details were released.

Bierdeman taught welding and manufacturing at WACC for more than 30 years.