An O'Fallon man was killed instantly after the SUV he was driving crashed head-on into a tractor trailer early Saturday morning on Interstate 64.

Gerard Barney, 37, was driving a 2000 Nissan about 1:45 a.m. east on Interstate 64. For unknown reasons, the vehicle crossed the median around mile marker 16, near the Shiloh exit, and crashed head-on into a tractor trailer.

The SUV burst into flames and Barney was killed instantly, said St. Clair County Deputy Coroner Dean Darnall.

The truck driver was not seriously injured, Darnall said.

It took crews more than two hours to extinguish the fire and clear the wreckage. Both directions of the interstate were closed during parts of that time.

Illinois State Police, the O'Fallon Fire Department and the Fairview Fire Department were among the crews that responded to the crash.

Contact reporter Maria Baran at mbaran@bnd.com and 239-2460.