HIGHLAND – Illinois State Police Troop 8 has provided information about a fatal crash that involved a Greyhound passenger bus that was reported at 1:54 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12.
Three reportedly died in the accident confirmed and multiple others were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, four by helicopter and at least 10 by ambulance. The crash also involved three commercial vehicles on Interstate 70, westbound Milepost 27 at the Silver Lake Rest Area in Madison County.
ISP said a total of 14 were injured in the crash. No one in the commercial motor vehicles was injured. The Greyhound bus was apparently bound for St. Louis.
ISP said the initial investigation indicates a Greyhound passenger bus with passengers was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 and struck three commercial motor vehicles parked on the exit ramp to the Silver Lake Interstate 70 westbound rest area.
“All westbound lanes and the ramp to the rest area are open,” ISP said. “This is an open and ongoing investigation. No further information is available at this time. We will disseminate updated information as it becomes available.”
State Police spokesperson Melaney Arnold said those killed and injured were all on the Greyhound bus. She was not sure if the bus driver was among those killed or injured or if all of those involved were passengers.
Greyhound spokesperson Mike Ogulnick said the bus was traveling from Indianapolis to St. Louis, where it was scheduled to arrive at about 2:20 a.m. It was carrying about 30 people, including the driver, he said.
“Our primary concern is ensuring we care for our passengers and driver at this time,” Ogulnick said. “We are working closely with local authorities and a relief bus is on the way for passengers.”
The crash originally closed westbound traffic on I-70.
The National Transportation Safety Board will send a team to investigate the crash, the agency said.
