Illinois State Police looking for suspect vehicle in deadly semi crash

Illinois State Police are asking for help identifying a suspect vehicle possibly involved in the deadly crash of a semi on Friday night near Effingham in southern Illinois that caused an ammonia cloud that killed five people.

The crash happened on US 40 just outside Teutopolis in Effingham County. The ISP investigation is centered on a vehicle seen passing the tanker. The same vehicle is seen later traveling through Teutopolis. Investigators believe the passing maneuver may have triggered the crash and caused the driver of the semi to run off the road.

The tanker truck, carrying anhydrous ammonia, ran off the road and overturned, punctured the tank, and allowed 4,000 gallons of the chemical to leak. There were other vehicles and injuries in the crash, and the chemical leak forced the evacuation of more than 500 residents in a mile-wide radius.

Anyone with information about the vehicle in the photo or video is asked to contact the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation - Zone 8 Investigations at 217-342-7881. 

Photo and video courtesy of Illinois State Police