Quick Facts:
Where: The accident occurred in the northbound lanes of Interstate 57 near Mount Vernon in Jefferson County, Illinois.
What Happened: A pickup truck allegedly struck the back of a tractor-trailer on the shoulder of the interstate.
Participants:
- Driver of pickup truck
- Passenger in pickup truck
- Driver of tractor-trailer
Reported Injuries/Fatalities:
- Driver of pickup truck, 73, killed
- Passenger in pickup truck, 70, killed
Details:
On or about Wednesday, December 29th, 2021, around 2:32 in the afternoon, an accident between a tractor-trailer and a pickup truck claimed the life of a man and woman from Grafton. Representatives from the ISP said the accident was reported along the northbound side of Interstate 57 just outside Mount Vernon in Jefferson County, Illinois.
Troopers from the Illinois State Police said an as-of-yet unidentified 70-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man were killed when the pickup truck they were in allegedly struck the back of a tractor-trailer that was stopped or parked on the shoulder of I-55. Emergency responders pronounced the 70-year-old woman dead of her injuries at the scene, while the 73-year-old man was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time after his arrival.
According to Google Maps, Interstate 57 cuts north and south along the western edge of Mount Vernon, which is situated about 279 miles south of downtown Chicago.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene of the accident.