A Bloomington man was identified Friday as the person killed in a fiery head-on collision Wednesday night on eastbound Interstate 74 near Morton that closed the highway overnight.
Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley said in a news release that Jason Stephens, 44, died of multiple injuries in the crash. Hanley said Stephens was killed before the pickup truck he was driving caught fire.
According to Illinois State Police Troop 4, the crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. near milepost 103, where I-74 crosses over Main Street.
An investigation by state police indicates Stephens was traveling west in the eastbound lanes for an unknown reason when it struck a semi tractor-trailer and caught fire.
The semi driver was taken to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries. Eastbound I-74 remained closed until just after 6 a.m. Thursday.
The incident remains under investigation by ISP and the coroner’s office.
