ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT
The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 12
WHAT: Fatal Crash
WHERE: Interstate 70 E/B MP 81, (Effingham County)
WHEN: 3:51 PM 09/15/2019
VEHICLES: Unit #1 – Silver 2016 Dodge Ram Pickup
Unit #2 – Blue 2019 Ford Passenger Car
Unit #3 – Gray 2013 Dodge Ram Pickup
Unit #4 – White 2020 Freightliner Truck Tractor Semi Trailer
OCCUPANTS: Unit #1 Driver – Billy Barksdale, 69, Gene Autry OK
Unit #2 Driver – (FATAL) James Barnes Jr., 68, Lawrenceville GA
Unit #3 Driver – Stephen Long, 31, Saint Thomas PA
Unit #4 Driver – Corey Meyer, 44, Crocker MO
PASSENGERS: Unit #4 Passenger – Alexander George, 35, Springfield MO
CHARGES: Driver Unit #1 – Failure To Reduce Speed to Avoid A Crash
TRANSPORTS: Unit #2 – None
PRELIMINARY: Unit 2, Unit 3, and Unit 4 were stopped in the right lane of traffic Eastbound on I-70 due to traffic being backed up before the construction zone when Unit 1 ran into the rear end of Unit 2. Unit 1 was also traveling Eastbound on I-70 near milepost 81 when it struck the rear end of Unit 2. Unit 2 was then shoved into the rear end of Unit 3’s trailer. Unit 3 was then shoved into the rear end of Unit 4. The driver of Unit 2 was pronounced deceased on scene by the Effingham County Coroner.