Traffic Backup, Injuries Result from Incident in Cumberland County

A traffic backup and an injury accident resulted from an incident along the interstate in Cumberland County Sunday afternoon.

Initial reports were that there were no injuries as a result of the incident, which occurred at 1:47pm on I-70 eastbound, a mile west of Greenup. 

Illinois State Police report a semi blew a tire, which caused damage to a car. That incident caused a traffic backup of several miles. 

The incident also resulted in a collision about an hour later, at 2:47pm. State Police say a semi driven by 48-year-old Clay Schuette of Benld and a SUV driven by 36-year-old Krystle Morgan of Herculaneum, Missouri were both eastbound approaching the stopped traffic. Morgan slowed for the traffic, but Schuette failed to slow and his semi struck the SUV. 

Morgan and her passengers, a nine-year-old girl, an eight-year-old girl, and a one-year-old girl, along with 38-year-old Sara Bequette of Bonne Terre, Missouri, were all injured and were taken to an area hospital for treatment of what were termed minor injuries.

Schuette was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid the crash.