Illinois State Police have released details on the fatal crash on Route 37 at the Sassafras Road intersection south of Salem.
The victim is identified as 43-year-old Jessie Scott of Valier. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the other vehicle that received life-threatening injuries and was air-lifted from the scene to a regional hospital is identified as 32-year-old Ryne Smith of Centralia.
A preliminary investigation indicates Scott was traveling northbound on Illinois Route 37 at Sassafras Road when for unknown reasons he lost control, entered the southbound lane, and struck the front of a southbound truck driven by Smith.
Both lanes of Illinois Route 37 were closed from the time of the crash around 9:51 Thursday morning until the crash investigation was completed at approximately 1:35 pm.
