ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT  

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police

District 12 

WHAT:                      Single Vehicle Fatality Traffic Crash

WHERE:                   Interstate 57 Southbound at Milepost 158, Effingham County

WHEN:                      Aug. 09, 2020 at 1:31 p.m.         

VEHICLE:                Unit 1- 2007 Brown Peterbilt Truck Tractor Semi Trailer Combination

DRIVER:                   Unit 1- Richard Dreher, 66 year old male from Colmar, PA – Deceased

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling south on Interstate 57 near milepost 158 in Effingham County. For unknown reasons, the driver of Unit 1 left the roadway to the left, striking a construction sign. Unit 1 then came back across all three southbound lanes and left the roadway to the right, coming to rest upright in the right ditch. The driver of Unit 1 was transported by ambulance to an are hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The driver of Unit 1 may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the traffic crash. This crash is still under investigation and no further details are available at this time.