Two Area Crashes on the Interstate Overnight

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Published on August 7 2015 7:56 am
Last Updated on August 7 2015 7:56 am
Written by Greg Sapp

(THE SCENE FROM THE CRASH SOUTH OF EFFINGHAM ALONG I-57 THURSDAY NIGHT. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE CRASH)

Two crashes involving injuries occurred on the interstates in the area overnight.

One crash occurred on I-70 westbound, five miles west of Montrose at 9:48pm Thursday. The crash occurred when a car quickly cut in front of a semi entering the construction zone. The semi's driver slowed to avoid a collision, but a following semi tow truck could not stop in time and rear-ended the first semi.

The driver of the semi tow truck, 56-year-old Clifford Peter Massey, Jr. of Muskogee, Oklahoma, and a passenger in the first semi, 33-year-old Jeffrey Hass of Mascoutah, were injured and were taken to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham for treatment.

The driver of the semi tow truck, 26-year-old Derek McWhorter of Vandalia, was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid the crash.

Teutopolis firefighters were called to the scene and had to use the Jaws of Life to cut Hass out of the semi tow truck.

The fast lane of I-70 westbound was shut down while emergency crews worked to extricate occupants and for Heartland Towing to remove the vehicles from the roadway.

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The other crash occurred on I-57 northbound, three miles north of the Watson-Mason interchange about 11:50pm Thursday.

Watson Fire Chief Matt Kulesza reported that a semi ran off the roadway and overturned and then caught fire. When firefighters reached the scene, the cab of the semi was fully involved in flames and the fire had moved into the trailer of the rig. Firefighters had to cut the top of the trailer open to get to the fire in the trailer. Tri-Power Towing hooked to the cab and trailer to help support the rig. After three hours on scene, firefighters had the fire out. 

The driver of the semi was not injured; he told authorities that he fell asleep.

The interstate was shut down for 20 minutes until one lane was re-opened. Shumway firefighters covered the Watson station while crews were on-scene.