ILLINOIS — Two people were killed early Monday morning in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 55 in Sangamon County, according to Illinois State Police.
The crash occurred south of Springfield near Milepost 87.5, close to the Lake Shore Drive exit. Troopers responded to the scene around 1 a.m. after reports of a two-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of the interstate.
Officials said one vehicle was traveling southbound while the other was traveling northbound in the same lanes when the vehicles collided.
Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said the victims are a 42-year-old woman from Wentzville, Missouri, and a 51-year-old woman from Girard. Their identities have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
A passenger in one of the vehicles was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries. Authorities have not released information about the passenger’s condition or which vehicle they were in.
Southbound lanes of Interstate 55 were closed for approximately five hours while first responders worked at the scene. The highway reopened shortly after 6 a.m.
The crash remains under investigation by the Sangamon County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police.
