UPDATED: One dead in I-74 crash

Posted on November 12, 2019
ISP
Illinois State Police and the Tazewell County Coroner are investigating a fatal crash on I-74 near Morton involving two semis and a passenger car. (File photo from Illinois State Police/Facebook)

By Howard Packowitz

MORTON – A key route from Peoria to Bloomington was closed for several hours on Tuesday while authorities investigated a fatal crash involving two semi-trucks and a passenger car.

Illinois State Police believe the driver of one of the semis is to blame because he didn’t slow down to avoid hitting the car and the other semi in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 74 near Morton. The accident happened just before noon.

The only person in the car was killed, according to Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley. An autopsy is pending, and Hanley said he’ll release the victim’s name after notifying relatives.

Our news partner, Heart of Illlinois-ABC reported the driver of one of the semis, Mark Elbus, 62, of Kewanee, was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

For several hours, State Police sent traffic off of eastbound I-74 and onto Route 150. Police reopened the eastbound lanes early Tuesday evening.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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