Victim identified in fatal accident on Illinois Route 159

DORSEY, Ill. – The Madison County Coroner’s Office has identified the individual who died in an accident Tuesday afternoon.

According to a release, 67-year-old James H. Roberts was driving a semi truck hauling rocks on southbound Illinois Route 159 near North Deer Park Drive around 3:30 p.m. Another truck that was hauling rocks northbound traveled across the center line and struck Roberts.

Authorities state the truck traveling northbound crossed the center line to avoid hitting a fuel tanker that was stopped in the northbound lane to make a left turn. That driver was taken to a local hospital.

Roberts was pronounced dead just before 5 p.m. An autopsy revealed a preliminary cause of death due to blunt force to the head, neck, and chest. As officials are still awaiting the results of a toxicological test, there is no final cause of death yet.

Illinois State Police and its Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.

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