Two people were killed and a third person was injured in a two-vehicle crash Sunday night on an interstate just outside Morris.
Forty-three-year-old Brandon E. Heard, a resident of River Grove, and 25-year-old Jesse M. Smith, of Morris, both died as a result of wounds sustained in the crash, car accident reports from the Illinois State Police state. A third man also was injured in the wreck, but the wounds aren’t thought to be life-threatening, authorities said.
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Heard at 11:55 p.m. Sunday was driving his semi-tractor west on Interstate 80 near Morris when a jeep pulled into traffic from the interstate’s shoulder, according to car accident reports. Morris’ semi then rear-ended the jeep, in which Smith was a passenger, authorities said.
Heard died as a result of the crash before he could be transported to an area hospital for treatment, authorities said. Smith suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. However, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, according to car accident reports.
Twenty-year-old Jean C. D. Wilson, of Morris, was driving the jeep at the time of the wreck. He also suffered injuries as a result of the crash, but authorities said they weren’t thought to be life-threatening.
Investigators worked on the scene for several hours, resulting in the overnight closure of the westbound lanes of traffic, according to a press release. Westbound traffic did not resume until about 7 a.m. Monday.
Authorities to investigate the wreck and “there is no further information at this time,” the Illinois State Police said in a press release. It’s unclear from car accident reports released so far whether factors such as intoxication, speed or inattentive driving are thought to have contributed to the incident.
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