Three Vehicles in Crash in Shelby County; Three Injured

Three vehicles were involved in a crash in Shelby County Friday night, sending three people to the hospital.

District 10 State Police report the vehicles were a car driven by 58-year-old Catharine Hale of Shelbyville, a minivan driven by 60-year-old Terry Prasun of Windsor, and a SUV driven by 53-year-old Scott Pals of Effingham. The collision occurred at 8:30pm Friday on Illinois Route 16, just east of Shelby County Road 2550 East.

Police report Hale's vehicle was traveling west on the highway, and Prasun's minivan was traveling east at the same location. Pals' SUV was traveling east, directly behind Prasun. The report indicates Hale's car crossed the center line and struck the front driver's side of Prasun's minivan and then struck the front end of Pals' SUV.

Hale was taken to an area hospital with what authorities termed "life-threatening injuries." Pals and passenger 51-year-old Kelly Pals of Effingham were both injured and were taken to an area hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. No one in the Prasun vehicle was reported injured.

State police cited Hale with improper lane usage.