Multiple people were injured in a chain reaction of vehicle crashes this morning on Interstate 72. Illinois State Police and EMS personnel responded to three separate crashes that occurred near milepost 7 in Pike County.
According to a preliminary report by the Illinois State Police, just before 7:30 this morning, two vehicles were traveling eastbound, one in front of the other, on I-72 when for an unknown reason, the first vehicle slowed down.
The second vehicle then hit the back of the first, causing it to leave the road into the center median. According to the report, the second vehicle left the scene and the driver of the vehicle in the median reported no injuries.
State Police say a pair of consecutive crashes then occurred. Two vehicles in close proximity then crashed after according to the report, the first vehicle slowed due to the first crash and was struck in the rear by another vehicle.
The crash caused both vehicles to cross into the center median and overturn in the left lane of the opposite westbound side. The occupants of the second vehicle were transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the first vehicle refused medical treatment at the scene.
At nearly the same time another pair of vehicles crashed after the front vehicle slowed after viewing the first two crashes and was struck in the rear by another vehicle. The second vehicle overturned in the roadway, while the first vehicle struck another vehicle that was parked on the shoulder.
The driver of the stationary vehicle was not injured and had stopped in an attempt to help those who were involved in the first two crashes. The occupants of the first two vehicles in the third and final crash were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
State Police say the incident remains under investigation, and no names will be released at this time. All lanes of I-72 were reopened to traffic at approximately 10:00 am.