Final victim of I-55 dust storm crash ID'd as Missouri man: Illinois State Police

Downstate Illinois dust storm caused 72-vehicle crash
Thursday, May 11, 2023
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois State Police publicly identified the final victim of the deadly Interstate 55 dust storm crash.

Otto Medina-Salazar, a 58-year-old Missouri man, was killed in the crash.

Police identified three more victims of the storm crash on Saturday morning.

Joseph Bates, 73, of Crystal Lake and Donna Bates, 71, of Crystal Lake were killed in the crash. Earl LeGrand, 64, of Florissant, Missouri was also killed.

The family of Michael Zinchuk, 55, of Champaign and Amy Zinchuk, 54, also of Champaign spoke out for the first time last Friday.

And, Illinois State Police previously identified another victim as 88-year-old Shirley Harper of Franklin, Wisconsin.

The crashes took place about 10:55 a.m. on Monday, May 1 near downstate Farmersville.

Seven people were killed in the 72-vehicle crash that also injured 37 others.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.

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