Illinois State Police say an eighth person has died as a result of multiple crashes on I-55 between Springfield and St. Louis during a blinding dust storm on May 1st.
81-year-old Ruth Rau of Sorento in Bond County succumbed to injuries Tuesday night while in the hospital.
A total of 72 vehicles are known to be involved in the crashes that occurred in both directions between mile markers 72 and 78 near Farmersville in Montgomery County. 37 were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical.
The dust was kicked up from farm fields along I-55.
The seven others fatally injured were earlier identified as:
- Shirley Harper, 88-year-old from Franklin, WI
- Joseph Bates, 73-year-old from Crystal Lake, IL
- Donna Bates, 71-year-old from Crystal Lake, IL
- Earl LeGrand, 64-year-old from Florissant, MO
- Michael Zinchuk, 55-year-old from Champaign, IL
- Amy Zinchuk, 54-year-old from Champaign, IL
- Otto Medina-Salazar, 58-year-old from Carthage, MO
Illinois State Police say they recognize the impact of this tragic event and offer their condolences to families and friends mourning their loss. ISP thanks all its first responder partners and sister agencies for their tremendous work and assistance during this incident.
Emergency crews work on I-55 crashes on May 1st during the dust storm. State Police photo.
