Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal crash that occurred in a construction zone on Interstate 64 in O’Fallon, Illinois earlier this week. According to officials, 35-year-old Courtney Brannon of Collinsville was killed in a four-vehicle collision that happened Tuesday morning as drivers moved through an active roadway work zone.
St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. confirmed on Thursday that Brannon “was pronounced deceased at the scene” shortly after first responders arrived. Illinois State Police reported that the crash took place at around 8 a.m. Tuesday in the eastbound lanes at mile marker 14 near the U.S. 50 exit.
Brannon had been traveling in a Ford Bronco when the collision occurred. State police said the wreck involved two tractor-trailers and a utility work truck in addition to Brannon’s vehicle. Despite the severity of the crash and the active work area, officials emphasized that “there were no reported injuries to construction zone workers,” according to the Illinois State Police.
Investigators have not yet released further details about what led to the crash, and no additional information from state police has been made public. Officials did confirm that the section of I-64 was under construction as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s ongoing improvements to the Exit 16 ramp to Green Mount Road and a larger infrastructure upgrade in the region
Illinois transportation crews continue to emphasize driver awareness in construction zones. Reduced speeds, lane shifts, and heavy machinery increase the risk of crashes even when workers are not injured.
The I-64 work is part of a broader multi-phase plan aimed at easing congestion near Green Mount Road, one of the most heavily traveled corridors in O’Fallon.
State police are working to determine whether speed, distraction, or lane conditions contributed to the crash.
Although no workers were hurt, the incident highlights the hazards present in highway construction areas for both motorists and transportation crews.
Originally reported by Yahoo News.
