Resident says dropped 911 call led to brother’s death, urges county to fix cell‑service gaps

Norma Peabody told Prairie County officials during public comment that her brother died after a 911 call dropped following a vehicle crash, and she urged the county to address cellular dead zones that can delay rescue efforts.

"He tried to make a 911 call and it was dropped," Peabody said. "He hung upside down for 2 hours before they traced where that address was. He died." Peabody said the crash occurred "two weeks ago," and family members were not reached despite repeated call attempts.

Other residents and speakers linked that account to broader concerns about rural cellular coverage. Todd Tibbets said the county needs to develop emergency‑services communication protocols because many stretches of highway lack reliable reception, making it difficult for crash victims to call for help and for responders to locate them quickly.

The testimony prompted expressions of sympathy from attendees and officials but no formal action was taken during the meeting. Meeting leaders acknowledged the problem and signaled that it would be part of continued discussion; the public comment period then closed.

Why it matters: In sparsely populated areas, gaps in cell coverage can delay emergency response times and complicate efforts to locate crash victims. Speakers urged county leaders to consider technical fixes, protocols for locating callers when mobile service is unavailable, or coordination with state and regional emergency dispatch to reduce the risk of future delays.

The meeting did not record a vote or a directive adopting a specific remedy; officials noted timing questions and other agenda items would be addressed at an upcoming meeting.