VERGENNES – A Jackson County roadway was shut down for two-and-a-half hours Sunday night due to a multi-vehicle crash.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 6:10 pm.. on Illinois 13/127 north of Illinois 4 in Vergennes. One person was trapped in the vehicle that was on fire.

A preliminary investigation shows three vehicles were southbound on IL 13/127. The third vehicle pulled into the northbound lane and began to pass the other vehicles. There was not enough time or distance to pass and the vehicle collided head-on with a vehicle in the northbound lane. Both vehicles had major damage and came to rest just off the roadway.

The engine compartment of the passing vehicle was on fire. Other motorists took steps to break a window and pull the driver from the vehicle. Unfortunately, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The northbound driver was freed from the vehicle and taken to an area hospital.

During that crash sequence, the other two southbound vehicles took evasive actions to avoid the crash. The evasive actions resulted in a minor crash between those two vehicles. The drivers of those vehicles were not injured.

No names have been released at this time. 

The crash is being investigated by the sheriff’s office Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit.

The Jackson County Ambulance Service, the Jackson County Coroner’s Office, the Vergennes Fire Department, and the Murphysboro-Pomona-Somerset Fire Protection District all assisted on the call.