The federal report on a tanker-truck crash in central Illinois a year ago that spilled a toxic chemical and killed five people includes an interview with a 17-year-old Ohio girl who admitted to causing the accident when she passed the truck with the minivan she was driving. The tanker slowed and pulled to the right to avoid colliding with oncoming traffic, resulting in the minivan passing in a no-passing zone, according to dash-cam video from the truck released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The girl expressed regret and acknowledged her mistake during an interview with Illinois State Police, noting that the passing maneuver was “totally my fault.”
The tanker truck was carrying caustic anhydrous ammonia when it jack-knifed and hit a utility trailer parked off the highway, causing the tank to rupture and spill about half of the 7,500-gallon load. This led to the deaths of five individuals, including three family members who were near the road at the time of the incident. Approximately 500 people were evacuated to avoid exposure to the hazardous chemical, commonly used by farmers as nitrogen fertilizer and in refrigeration. The federal report provided a factual account of the crash, with further analysis and conclusions expected at a later date.
The Illinois State Police conducted its investigation into the accident, with findings shared with Effingham County State’s Attorney, Aaron Jones. However, there was no immediate comment from Jones regarding the case. The interview with the 17-year-old girl, whose identity was redacted due to her minor status at the time, revealed that she was traveling with her family to visit her mother’s boyfriend in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. The girl stated that an earlier accident on Interstate 70 diverted traffic onto US 40, where she passed multiple trucks, including the tanker involved in the crash.
The girl admitted that she realized she needed to accelerate to clear oncoming traffic after passing the tanker, estimating she was traveling at 90 mph when she pulled back to the right. Despite the close call with another vehicle, she believed she had enough clearance to make the maneuver safely. The truck driver, who survived the crash, mentioned that he attempted to give the minivan space to get over but ended up losing traction on gravel and hitting a drainage culvert. The girl later recounted not being aware of the accident until her mother read news reports about it on their return trip to Ohio, claiming that they did not connect the emergency vehicles they saw with the incident they caused.
During the police interview, the girl defended her actions, stating that she and her family did not notice the tanker truck overturning behind them on the road. She emphasized that had they been aware of the consequences of their passing maneuver, their response would have been different. However, she expressed that they did not realize the severity of the situation until after the fact. The investigation into the tanker-truck crash highlighted the critical role of driver judgment, awareness, and adherence to traffic regulations in preventing tragic accidents and ensuring road safety for all motorists.
