Crash and Fire South of Salem Overnight

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Published on October 2 2017 4:10 pm
Last Updated on October 2 2017 4:10 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

A truck and a semi collided just before midnight Sunday night in Marion County.

State police say the fiery crash occurred at 11:58pm on I-57 southbound, two miles south of Salem. The truck driven by 36-year-old Eliezer Guido of Los Indios, Texas, towing a truck that had a flat tire. The semi driven by 25-year-old Mohammed Alshadood of Detroit, Michigan was approaching when he noticed Guido's slower-moving unit and attempted to take evasive action by braking and driving toward the shoulder of the roadway.

The semi still struck the right rear corner of the towed vehicle, causing the towed vehicle to break free and travel several hundred feet before overturning in a ditch. After the impact, the semi also traveled into the ditch next to the towed vehicle. Both units burst into flames.

Alshadood, the semi driver, freed himself from the wreckage, but was injured. He was taken to an ambulance, but was then airlifted to St. John's Mercy Hospital Burn Unit for treatment.

The wooded area between the interstate and a nearby rest area caught on fire and burned a considerable distance. IDOT as well as Marion County ESDA routed southbound traffic off the interstate at the Salem interchange onto Illinois Route 37, while Salem firefighters extinguished the fires. The southbound lanes of I-57 were finally re-opened at 7am Monday.

Charges in the incident are pending.