Metro-East News

O’Fallon man killed in Southern Illinois crash; semitrailer driver ticketed

The O’Fallon man was killed when he slowed down for traffic stopped in front of him, only to be struck by a tractor-trailer from behind.
The O’Fallon man was killed when he slowed down for traffic stopped in front of him, only to be struck by a tractor-trailer from behind.

An O’Fallon man is dead after a three-vehicle crash Tuesday morning in Southern Illinois.

Traffic was backed up because of construction on northbound Interstate 57 in Williamson County at about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from Illinois State Police.

The man killed, Wayne S. Maxwell, 57, slowed down to nearly a stop for the backed-up traffic around mile marker 44 on I-57, as another car in front of him slowed as well. A semitrailer driven by Willie Lee Shelby, 62, struck the back of Maxwell’s car, pushing it into the car in front of him. Maxwell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shelby was given a ticket for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, according to the release. He was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Additional charges may be added in the future, pending results from a crash reconstruction by Illinois State Police.

This story was originally published October 11, 2017 at 7:09 PM with the headline "O’Fallon man killed in Southern Illinois crash; semitrailer driver ticketed."

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