Seventh victim in massive I-55 pileup identified
Illinois State Police has released the name of the seventh victim from a massive pileup that happened along Interstate 55, south of Springfield, on May 1.
ISP officials said Otto Medina-Salazar, 58, of Carthage, Missouri, died during the incident, which took place at 10:55 a.m. that morning between mile markers 72 and 78 near Farmersville on I-55 and killed six other people. The crashes came about as the result of a dust storm that swept the area, brought on by high winds and dirt from fields being plowed for spring planting.
More: 'A terrible, terrible tragedy': High winds, dust to blame for fatal pileup
Medina-Salazar joins Shirley Harper, 88, of Franklin, Wisconsin; Joseph and Donna Bates, 73 and 71 respectively, from Crystal Lake; Earl LeGrand, 64, of Florissant, Missouri; and Michael and Amy Zinchuk, 55 and 54 respectively, from Champaign as victims identified in the crash.
At least 37 other people were hospitalized with a variety of conditions, after some 72 vehicles were involved in the crash.
ISP is continuing its investigation into the caused of the crashes.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Seventh victim in massive I-55 pileup identified
