* According to WCIA, traffic was diverted from I-70 to Route 40 following a crash on the interstate. I-70 is under extensive construction and these crashes and diversions have become all too common. From CNN…
The sequence of events that led to the accident appears to have started when someone tried to pass the semi-truck, the NTSB said at a Sunday media briefing.
“Preliminary information indicates that another vehicle may have been involved in a passing maneuver near the tanker truck. The driver of the truck appears to have reacted by pulling to the right,” said board member Tom Chapman. “The tanker truck departed the roadway. After departing the roadway, the truck rolled over, and the cargo tank was compromised.” […]
“As it rolled over, the tanker truck jackknifed and exposed the head end of the tank,” said Chapman. “As momentum carried the tank forward, it came into contact with the hitch on the utility trailer. The hitch punctured the cargo tank, leaving a hole approximately 6 inches in diameter.”
Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said the five dead included three from the same family: one adult and two children under 12. The other two were adult motorists from out of state, Rhodes said.
Additionally, five people were airlifted to hospitals, their conditions unknown.
* I told you all that so I could show you this ISP press release…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a vehicle potentially involved in a crash on September 29, 2023 just outside of Teutopolis that resulted in five fatalities and multiple injuries.
On Friday, September 29, 2023, ISP, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Teutopolis Fire Protection District, and other local law enforcement, fire, and emergency services responded to a crash that occurred at 8:42 p.m. on 19740 East U.S. Highway 40. The crash involved a semi-truck tanker carrying anhydrous ammonia that was punctured and leaked.
The initial investigation shows at approximately 8:35 p.m., a dark colored vehicle (unknown make/model) potentially involved in the incident traveling westbound through the intersection of U.S. Highway 40 and Spring Creek Road in Montrose, Illinois. The investigation determined the vehicle continued traveling Westbound through Teutopolis on U.S. Highway 40 and would have passed the semi-truck tanker.
ISP agents are in Casey, Montrose, and Teutopolis communities retrieving surveillance video that could provide more information into this incident. If you have doorbell or security cameras that may have captured video of this suspect vehicle before or after the incident, or any information, please contact Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 8 Investigations at 217-342-7881.
Video of the vehicle passing through the intersection can be found here https://youtu.be/b4l68efYq7A.
Is passing a semi truck illegal? I’m looking at the google map images and the address given for the crash has a dashed yellow line on the road, meaning passing is allowed traveling westbound. Is the road configuration different because it is being used as a bypass from the construction? Do the markings on the road reflect such a change?
If a semi is being passed from behind, why would the semi react by swerving to the right?
Obviously these questions are why there is an investigation taking place. I’m confused why the driver of the truck isn’t responsible.
= meaning passing is allowed traveling westbound =
Just because you are in an area where passing is allowed doesn’t mean that it is always safe to do so.
- Don't Bloc Me In - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 10:02 am:
==Is passing a semi truck illegal?==
Locally in the community, it is being said the tanker driver swerved to avoid a head-on collision that was about to be caused by the passing vehicle.
== I’m confused why the driver of the truck isn’t responsible.==
I’m confused on why you’re trying to blame the truck driver. The truck driver knows exactly what they are carrying, do you really think that they would just randomly swerve to the right side because someone passes them? I expect that the car that the police are searching for was impatient and thought they had enough space to pass but ended up being stuck in the opposite lane for too long. Passing is legal but passing when there it isn’t safe to do so is not legal.
====“If a semi is being passed from behind, why would the semi react by swerving to the right?“====
Really? One of the dumbest comments on here in recent memory. Your driving privileges should be reviewed as well.
Folks should pay attention to semi’s. A lot of the major carriers have cameras on them recording everything, including other drivers around their semi just prove it not always the truck drivers fault. Probably the insurance companies wish. You should drive one some time, but I doubt most are unable to.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:26 am:
“I’m confused on why you’re trying to blame the truck driver.”
Because there are no details to suggest otherwise in the police press release, other than “police are looking for…”
Sorry, without an actual reason for this request, that’s not enough for me to go on.
Truckers are responsible for the safety their loads. period. Hazmat drivers especially so.
Not too long ago there were a lot of accidents on the interstate near me of truckers just plowing full speed into the traffic slowed in a construction zone.
If the police are going to ask for the publics help to do their job, they need to provide a concrete reason for doing so. For example, if the police stated “It has been determined the truck was attempting to slow down to allow the vehicle to pass it, but was unable to do so in time and we would like to identify the reckless driver involved” would be much more useful. That’s actually what a hazmat driver is supposed to do in such a situation, yet nothing in the press release is stating that is what took place. Right now, there’s just as much of a possibility the trucker was road-raging and speeding up to make it harder for someone to complete a passing maneuver.
Too bad there aren’t any License Pate Readers on the stretch in question. Or maybe there are, but they just want corroborating evidence? Cellular data also will eventually give them a pool of names/numbers.
===Right now, there’s just as much of a possibility===
Not in evidence.
- Don't Bloc Me In - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:50 am:
Don the Legend, all deaths were due to exposure to the anhydrous ammonia. It is seriously bad stuff. It is transported as a liquid under pressure and when released as a gas, greatly increases in volume. It’s possible that those who were only injured by it could be left with permanent damage, such as blindness.
invisibleman, following your logic, when amber alerts come out, you must ignore them because “police are looking for” is the only information provided, or is it the kid’s fault?
===There’s no evidence pointing to a reason for the public to identify another vehicle either.===
Investigators may be looking for the driver to shed some light on exactly how the accident happened or the driver may be a person of interest. Either way, if law enforcement is asking for the public’s help, we should assist in any way we can.
The police are asking for help identifying the vehicle. Why would one not help in an investigation? We complain about dismal clearance rates for crimes, but then somebody on here states they wouldn’t help without more info. The vehicle in question may be involved or the driver may be a witness. We won’t know until the vehicle and driver are identified. This is why the process is referred to as an investigation.
- We've never had one before - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
Comments on the comments
I don’t want to live my whole life under the watchful eye of cameras, but in this case I hope they get the driver who helped cause the accident then fled.
If the driver did not flee, would they have lived?
Passing is only allowed when it is safe to do so, regardless of the markings, as correctly commented earlier.
There sure are a whole lot of privileged little darlings out there with no driving manners, this one ended up killing people.
I can picture the scene with a fed-up driver who just got off the I-70 parking lot, perhaps one with little or no experience on 2-lane highways.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
Steve, an amber alert by definition states a child has been abducted. That’s a crime.
In this case, the police have provided no evidence for a crime taking place by the other vehicle.
My local area has community alerts. When the police send out an alert, there is a reason for it - i.e. “in relation to a robbery”, “in relation to a hit and run”, we are asking the public to identify this person/car. None of that exists here.
InvisibleMan, umm, five people died. I’m glad the police are looking at all possibilities. Perhaps this dark colored car is a nothingburger, but let it play out and help. If you know something and don’t report it, then that makes you culpable.
If the police have evidence, from a dashcam of the semi, showing the other vehicle in question was driving recklessly or illegally passing then I’m all for helping out.
None of that is mentioned.
Another vehicle being on the road isn’t sufficient evidence.
If you want to help, that’s fine. At this point, I don’t and likely wouldn’t even be able to since I’m on the other end of the state.
For future reference to the ISP, it will help the public participation to provide more details why the public should be involved beyond “because we asked”. That is after all the same treatment the public gets from the police. If a member of the public brings no evidence to the police yet demands the police identify someone, the police will do nothing. And rightfully so.
=If you want to help, that’s fine. At this point, I don’t=
Full stop. Why are you even continuing the discussion. No one is going to convince you that it’s just something a decent human being would do if they are in a position to do so. You’ve stated you aren’t.
Maybe they want to talk to more witnesses, maybe they suspect there was reckless driving involved, or maybe someone said they saw a deer in the road and they’re looking for corroboration, maybe it’s none of our business. You just want to argue about whether or not the police provided enough information to satisfy you. Not helpful.
== why the public should be involved beyond “because we asked”==
You’re a real upstanding citizen. Sheesh. You get your feelings hurt by a law enforcement officer somewhere along the line or do you just genrally hate law enforcement?
I may be mistaken but I believe the truck that crashed was in the oncoming lane when the passing vehicle moved into that lane to pass the other semi going in the same directions. The semi that crashed was trying to avoid a head on collision. If that is indeed the case, the driver has an obligation to pass safely, not run oncoming traffic off the road while doing so.
What I have heard from family in that area is that all deaths are from the ammonia gas cloud. Would have been very quick, but definitely not the way a person would choose.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 9:44 am:
Is passing a semi truck illegal? I’m looking at the google map images and the address given for the crash has a dashed yellow line on the road, meaning passing is allowed traveling westbound. Is the road configuration different because it is being used as a bypass from the construction? Do the markings on the road reflect such a change?
If a semi is being passed from behind, why would the semi react by swerving to the right?
Obviously these questions are why there is an investigation taking place. I’m confused why the driver of the truck isn’t responsible.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 9:44 am:
Members of the Mizzou swim team were also injured by the plume- https://tinyurl.com/24zkzpeb
- JoanP - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 9:53 am:
= meaning passing is allowed traveling westbound =
Just because you are in an area where passing is allowed doesn’t mean that it is always safe to do so.
- Don't Bloc Me In - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 10:02 am:
==Is passing a semi truck illegal?==
Locally in the community, it is being said the tanker driver swerved to avoid a head-on collision that was about to be caused by the passing vehicle.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 10:29 am:
===Is passing a semi truck illegal?===
No, but leaving the scene of an accident is.
- Aaron B - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 10:38 am:
== I’m confused why the driver of the truck isn’t responsible.==
I’m confused on why you’re trying to blame the truck driver. The truck driver knows exactly what they are carrying, do you really think that they would just randomly swerve to the right side because someone passes them? I expect that the car that the police are searching for was impatient and thought they had enough space to pass but ended up being stuck in the opposite lane for too long. Passing is legal but passing when there it isn’t safe to do so is not legal.
- Gus - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:02 am:
====“If a semi is being passed from behind, why would the semi react by swerving to the right?“====
Really? One of the dumbest comments on here in recent memory. Your driving privileges should be reviewed as well.
Folks should pay attention to semi’s. A lot of the major carriers have cameras on them recording everything, including other drivers around their semi just prove it not always the truck drivers fault. Probably the insurance companies wish. You should drive one some time, but I doubt most are unable to.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:26 am:
“I’m confused on why you’re trying to blame the truck driver.”
Because there are no details to suggest otherwise in the police press release, other than “police are looking for…”
Sorry, without an actual reason for this request, that’s not enough for me to go on.
Truckers are responsible for the safety their loads. period. Hazmat drivers especially so.
Not too long ago there were a lot of accidents on the interstate near me of truckers just plowing full speed into the traffic slowed in a construction zone.
If the police are going to ask for the publics help to do their job, they need to provide a concrete reason for doing so. For example, if the police stated “It has been determined the truck was attempting to slow down to allow the vehicle to pass it, but was unable to do so in time and we would like to identify the reckless driver involved” would be much more useful. That’s actually what a hazmat driver is supposed to do in such a situation, yet nothing in the press release is stating that is what took place. Right now, there’s just as much of a possibility the trucker was road-raging and speeding up to make it harder for someone to complete a passing maneuver.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:44 am:
Just for clarification of my own confusion:
Are the five deaths from the toxic gas or are some or all of the five from the truck/car accident?
Thanks.
- Southern - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:45 am:
Too bad there aren’t any License Pate Readers on the stretch in question. Or maybe there are, but they just want corroborating evidence? Cellular data also will eventually give them a pool of names/numbers.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:46 am:
===Right now, there’s just as much of a possibility===
Not in evidence.
- Don't Bloc Me In - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 11:50 am:
Don the Legend, all deaths were due to exposure to the anhydrous ammonia. It is seriously bad stuff. It is transported as a liquid under pressure and when released as a gas, greatly increases in volume. It’s possible that those who were only injured by it could be left with permanent damage, such as blindness.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:03 pm:
Don’t Bloc Me In, Thank you.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:15 pm:
“Not in evidence.”
Thus, it was stated as a possibility.
There’s no evidence pointing to a reason for the public to identify another vehicle either.
- Just Me 2 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:36 pm:
For sure hard to tell, but I would guess that is an older Toyota Rav4. Now those SUVs are bigger, but they used to be sort of compact.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:39 pm:
invisibleman, following your logic, when amber alerts come out, you must ignore them because “police are looking for” is the only information provided, or is it the kid’s fault?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:46 pm:
===There’s no evidence pointing to a reason for the public to identify another vehicle either. ===
Didn’t peg you as a completely anti-cop person, but OK.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:46 pm:
===There’s no evidence pointing to a reason for the public to identify another vehicle either.===
Investigators may be looking for the driver to shed some light on exactly how the accident happened or the driver may be a person of interest. Either way, if law enforcement is asking for the public’s help, we should assist in any way we can.
- A citizen - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:46 pm:
The police are asking for help identifying the vehicle. Why would one not help in an investigation? We complain about dismal clearance rates for crimes, but then somebody on here states they wouldn’t help without more info. The vehicle in question may be involved or the driver may be a witness. We won’t know until the vehicle and driver are identified. This is why the process is referred to as an investigation.
- We've never had one before - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
Comments on the comments
I don’t want to live my whole life under the watchful eye of cameras, but in this case I hope they get the driver who helped cause the accident then fled.
If the driver did not flee, would they have lived?
Passing is only allowed when it is safe to do so, regardless of the markings, as correctly commented earlier.
There sure are a whole lot of privileged little darlings out there with no driving manners, this one ended up killing people.
I can picture the scene with a fed-up driver who just got off the I-70 parking lot, perhaps one with little or no experience on 2-lane highways.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
Steve, an amber alert by definition states a child has been abducted. That’s a crime.
In this case, the police have provided no evidence for a crime taking place by the other vehicle.
My local area has community alerts. When the police send out an alert, there is a reason for it - i.e. “in relation to a robbery”, “in relation to a hit and run”, we are asking the public to identify this person/car. None of that exists here.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:50 pm:
InvisibleMan, umm, five people died. I’m glad the police are looking at all possibilities. Perhaps this dark colored car is a nothingburger, but let it play out and help. If you know something and don’t report it, then that makes you culpable.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 12:53 pm:
=If the police are going to ask for the publics help to do their job, they need to provide a concrete reason for doing so.=
It’s an investigation not a hypothesis.
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 2:31 pm:
“It’s an investigation not a hypothesis.”
If the police have evidence, from a dashcam of the semi, showing the other vehicle in question was driving recklessly or illegally passing then I’m all for helping out.
None of that is mentioned.
Another vehicle being on the road isn’t sufficient evidence.
If you want to help, that’s fine. At this point, I don’t and likely wouldn’t even be able to since I’m on the other end of the state.
For future reference to the ISP, it will help the public participation to provide more details why the public should be involved beyond “because we asked”. That is after all the same treatment the public gets from the police. If a member of the public brings no evidence to the police yet demands the police identify someone, the police will do nothing. And rightfully so.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 2:34 pm:
@ Just Me 2 -
Might be right. Looks more like a van to me. Toyota Sienna or possibly a Chevy Traverse. Looks longer than a RAV4.
That B-pillar looks fairly thick like it would on a van or fuller size SUV. Also see what seems to be the rear window spoiler that Sienna vans have.
- Downstate Sally - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 3:40 pm:
=If you want to help, that’s fine. At this point, I don’t=
Full stop. Why are you even continuing the discussion. No one is going to convince you that it’s just something a decent human being would do if they are in a position to do so. You’ve stated you aren’t.
Maybe they want to talk to more witnesses, maybe they suspect there was reckless driving involved, or maybe someone said they saw a deer in the road and they’re looking for corroboration, maybe it’s none of our business. You just want to argue about whether or not the police provided enough information to satisfy you. Not helpful.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 4:12 pm:
===For future reference to the ISP, it will help the public participation===
No, it will help your participation. Don’t speak for the rest of us.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 4:19 pm:
==At this point, I don’t==
== why the public should be involved beyond “because we asked”==
You’re a real upstanding citizen. Sheesh. You get your feelings hurt by a law enforcement officer somewhere along the line or do you just genrally hate law enforcement?
- Anon3 - Tuesday, Oct 3, 23 @ 4:51 pm:
I may be mistaken but I believe the truck that crashed was in the oncoming lane when the passing vehicle moved into that lane to pass the other semi going in the same directions. The semi that crashed was trying to avoid a head on collision. If that is indeed the case, the driver has an obligation to pass safely, not run oncoming traffic off the road while doing so.
- Lynn S. - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 12:41 am:
@ don the legend–
What I have heard from family in that area is that all deaths are from the ammonia gas cloud. Would have been very quick, but definitely not the way a person would choose.