News Local/State

Reports: 2 Urbana Residents Among Those Killed In I-55 Crash

By Jeff Bossert, with Additional Reporting By The Associated Press
 

News reports say two Urbana residents were among those killed on Interstate-55 in a crash involving two a semi and three stopped vehicles in Will County near Chicago Monday.

The Chicago Tribune and two city TV stations report the four killed in a construction zone near Arsenal Road include 43-year old Kimberly Britton and 11-year old Piper Britton of Urbana. 

State Police say the speeding semi-trailer truck that abruptly changed lanes in a construction zone on I-55 near Arsenal Road caused a chain-reaction crash Monday three vehicles that were stopped.
 
Authorities say four people were injured in the crash that occurred in I-55's northbound lanes.

Francisco Espinal Quiroz of Leesburg, Indiana, was charged Tuesday with failure to reduce speed to prevent an accident.
 
State Police Sgt. Chris Wilkes tells the Southtown Star the driver was also charged with making false entries in his logbook.

He appears in bond court Tuesday. It was not clear if he already had an attorney. 

The Will County Coroner's Office has identified the other victims as 54-year-old Vicky Palacios of Coal City, and 48-year-old Urlike Blopleh of Channahon.