LaSalle County coroner reports 112 January cases; new transport van in service

LaSalle County Coroner Rich Bach reported to the county public-safety committee that his office handled 112 cases in January and that operations are adjusting as a new transport van comes into service.

Bach told the committee the monthly total was 112 cases and cited a mix of manners of death, including natural deaths, one traffic accident and one homicide. He said the office has begun using a newly acquired transport van; the van is intended to reduce recurring transport expenses and, after graphics are applied this week, will allow the office to handle more transports in-house rather than contracting them out.

Bach also said his chief deputy will travel to Minnesota next month for training. Following Bach's presentation the committee approved the coroner's report and voted to pay the coroner's bills by voice vote.

The coroner's office did not provide a line-by-line breakdown of each case category in the meeting transcript; the committee approved the report and requested no additional follow-up at this meeting.