Three Injured in Crash Involving Three Semis and a SUV

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Published on February 7 2018 8:05 am
Last Updated on February 7 2018 8:05 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Three people were injured Tuesday afternoon in a crash involving three semis and another vehicle.

The crash happened at 4:45pm west of Effingham on Westbound I-70 at the National Trail Rest Area near Altamont.

State police report rigs driven by 55-year-old Audie Phillips of Cincinnati, Ohio and 43-year-od Brian Funches of Harvey were stopped in traffic due to a lane closure ahead. A SUV driven by 30-year-old Leigh Ann Slater of Altamont was slowing behind the two semis, but a rig behind Slater driven by 33-year-old James call of Killen, Texas, did not stop and rear-ended Slater's vehicle. The Slater vehicle was knocked off the roadway and came to rest in the median.

Call's semi continued on and rear-ended the Phillips rig, pushing it into the rear of the Funches semi. The trailer of the Phillips rig was compromised and its load was scattered in the westbound lanes and the median. The crash and the resulting cleanup blocked both westbound lanes and resulted in traffic being rerouted through the rest area for nearly four hours.

Call was injured and was flown from the scene to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. Slater and Funches were also injured and were taken by ambulance to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

Call was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid the crash.