Four-Vehicle Crash East of Teutopolis Blocks Interstate for Part of Afternoon

A four-vehicle crash blocked both lanes of westbound I-70 east of Teutopolis Tuesday afternoon.

The crash happened at the 1950th Street overpass about a mile east of T-Town around 1:30pm. Teutopolis firefighters had to go to Montrose, come back west on the interstate as far as possible and then cross through the median and travel the wrong way on the eastbound lanes to gain access to the crash scene.

State police say a semi driven by 65-year-old Donald Wayne Broom of Summarall, Mississippi slowed for heavy rainfall and was struck from behind by a van driven by 58-year-old Debra Williams of St. Louis and then a van driven by 31-year-old John Grayis of Swansea rear-ended Williams' van. A pickup truck pulling a trailer driven by 55-year-old John Houston of Frankfort, Ohio then rear-ended Grayis' van. Houston's pickup and trailer then ran off into the median and struck some barrels surrounding an overpass abutment.

Williams and her passenger, 34-year-old Lisa Williams of St. Louis, were injured and were taken to St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham for treatment.

The roadway was re-opened after about an hour.  Traffic was rerouted off the interstate at Montrose and through Teutopolis and Effingham on US Route 40 while the interstate was blocked.