One Person Killed As Result of Several Crashes in Interstate Construction Zone

(THIS SHOT IS OF THE INITIAL CRASH SCENE INVOLVING THE THREE SEMIS. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE INITIAL CRASH. EFFINGHAM FIRE CHIEF BOB TUTKO SAID THE LIQUID YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO IS A PET FOOD ADDITIVE RUNNING OUT OF THE TRAILER. IN ADDITION TO AN ODOR, IT MADE THE ROADWAY SLICK)

A large section of Interstate 70 was closed for several hours in our area due to a number of crashes Tuesday afternoon, one of which resulted in a driver being killed.

The first crash involved three semi tractor-trailer combinations that collided on 70 eastbound about five miles west of Effingham or seven miles east of Altamont. No one was injured in that initial crash.

Following the first crash, an eastbound car two miles west of Altamont ran under the rear of a semi stopped ahead of the car just before 4pm. Shortly after that crash, IDOT closed the eastbound lanes of traffic from St. Elmo to Effingham to perform accident reconstruction.

Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said the driver of the car, 43-year-old Theoplus Coleman of Urbana, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Coleman's car ran into the rear of a semi driven by David Wilson of Mason. Wilson was not reported injured.

Also, vehicles were involved in two crashes on US Route 40 near the S curves west of Effingham, and another crash occurred westbound on 70 involving three semis between Effingham and Altamont. No injuries were reported in that last crash.

Westbound I-70 in that area was reopened to traffic about 5:30pm. Eastbound I-70 was finally reopened about 8:30pm.