CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Il. (WTWO/WAWV) — One person is dead following a fatal crash between two semi trailers Friday evening along I-70 in Cumberland County.
According to Illinois State Police, preliminary investigations indicate that a semi trailer was traveling westbound on I-70 near Milepost 127 at a slow speed due to a reported vehicle malfunction.
A second semi trailer, driven by 41-year-old Melissa Coleman of Missouri, was also traveling westbound in the same right lane. Coleman attempted to avoid the crash but was unable to do so, striking the trailer of the first vehicle with its driver’s side.
Coleman was ejected from her vehicle during the crash and was airlifted to Carle Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, where she was later pronounced dead.
The driver of the first semi trailer, 34-year-old Filimon Ghebremehari of Seattle was charged with violating the minimum speed limit.
Neither semi trailer had any passengers.
