CLARK COUNTY - Illinois State Police are investigating a crash involving two truck-tractor semi-trailers on Interstate 70 Saturday afternoon that left two people dead.
ISP officials say the fatal crash happened on I-70 eastbound, near mile post 135 in Clark County, at about 3:55 p.m. According to the preliminary investigation into the crash, a 2013 Volvo truck-tractor semi-trailer struck the rear of a 2007 Freightliner truck-tractor semi-trailer, which had slowed to a near-stop due to another crash. Officials say the impact caused extensive damage to the Volvo, which subsequently caught fire.
Troopers say the Volvo's driver, identified as Khcicha Gogoladze, 51, and passenger, identified as Ivan Koudla, 60, was fatally injured from the impact. The driver of the Freightliner was not injured.
ISP officials also say two other crashes happened on I-70 at about the same time as the fatal crash, with at least one person being transported to the hospital after striking the rear of another truck-tractor semi-trailer. The crashes also caused eastbound traffic to be rerouted off of I-70 at exit 129 and back on to I-70 at mile marker 147 while crews were on the scene.
