Jason Stephens Obituary, Death – Tazewell County authorities have confirmed the identity of the man who died in a tragic head-on collision on Interstate 74 on Wednesday night. The victim was identified as Jason Stephens, a 44-year-old resident of Bloomington.
According to Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley, preliminary autopsy findings indicated that Stephens succumbed to multiple blunt force injuries. It was reported that he was deceased prior to the ignition of the fire that engulfed his pickup truck in the eastbound lanes of the interstate.
The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, just east of the Morton exit, when Stephens’ pickup truck collided head-on with a semi-truck. Investigators from the Illinois State Police are still working to determine the cause of the crash, including the reason why Stephens was traveling in the wrong direction on the highway.
Following the collision, the driver of the semi was injured and subsequently transported to a nearby hospital. However, officials have not disclosed the driver’s condition as of yet.
The aftermath of the crash led to significant disruptions on the eastbound side of I-74, which was closed for approximately eight hours. During this time, law enforcement conducted an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and worked to clear the wreckage from the scene.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, and further updates may be provided as more information becomes available.