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. ​