A fatal collision occurred early Monday morning on Interstate 74 near Goodfield, resulting in a man's death after his vehicle struck a guardrail and subsequently an overpass. The Woodford County Sheriff's Office reported the solo vehicle accident happened just before 5 a.m., as cited by 25News. The crash aftermath saw a second vehicle collide with the first, which had come to rest on the road.
Authorities revealed the man from the initial crash was found deceased upon arrival of deputies; he appears to have been the singular passenger in the car, according to Chief Deputy Dennis Tipsword, in a statement obtained by 25News. The driver of the second vehicle involved was transported to the hospital with injuries deemed not life-threatening, it was just past 4:58 a.m. when the first vehicle made contact with the guardrail before hitting the overpass and finally stopping in the roadway.
Following the incident, the eastbound lane of I-74 was closed to traffic, slated to remain so until around 9:30 a.m., as per law enforcement officials. Commuters were directed to exit at Goodfield and given the option to rejoin the interstate past the collision site, effectively circumventing the ongoing investigation at the crash scene, a method of rerouting also reported by PJStar.
Details surrounding the crash's causation are yet under probe, with the Woodford County Sheriff's Office spearheading the investigation, the identity of the deceased is expected to be released by the Woodford County Coroner at a future juncture. The tragic turn of events this Monday morning has authorities urging drivers to approach the area with caution and to seek alternate routes if possible.
