State Police say both drivers were injured in a two-car crash in the northbound lanes of I-57 at milepost 112.5 near the Nations Road overpass south of Salem. The crash closed both northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate sending the interstate travel through Salem.
A preliminary investigation indicates a car driven by 41-year-old John Heil of McLeansboro failed to slow and struck the rear of a car in front of him driven by 57-year-old Debra Kaczur of Centralia. The impact caused both cars to begin spinning.
Heil’s car struck a guardrail and rolled over. He was extricated from his vehicle by Salem Fire Protection District firemen who had to remove the roof and one side of the car to get Heil out. He was then transported from the scene by an Air Evac helicopter that landed on the Interstate and flew him to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Kaczur was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Firemen had to pop a door open to help her out of her vehicle.
There were no passengers in either car.
Heil was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and following too closely.
State Police say the Interstate was closed for about an hour and a half.
During the time of the rerouting, Salem Police reported a non-injury crash on South Broadway at West Whitaker Street and Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies handled a non-injury crash with road blockage at the Route 161 and Route 37 intersection south of Salem.
The crash was first reported at 5:59 Friday night.
