Driver in Fatal Crash Wednesday Identified

The driver killed in the fiery semi crash early Wednesday morning south of Effingham has been identified.

Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said the man was 48-year-old Robert E. White of Kiln, Mississippi. Rhodes said White was the only person in the vehicle.

The crash happened about 1:30am on the ramp leading from Eastbound Interstate 70 to Southbound Interstate 57. The rig ran off the left side of the ramp and was fully engulfed in flames when emergency services reached the scene.

An autopsy will be conducted this morning at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham to determine whether a medical condition might have been a factor in the crash. The investigation is continuing by the Effingham County Coroner's Office and the Illinois State Police. Other agencies that assisted in the incident included Abbott EMS, and the Effingham and Altamont Fire Departments.