Dairon Socarras Quintero, 32, shows the dust collected on the backpack he had inside his company's truck at the time of the dust storm, even though his cabin is completely closed up, Monday, May 1, 2023, in Divernon, Ill. Socarras was driving a 16 foot truck for his elk Grove Village based company that does custom picture framing he was on his way to St. Louis to make deliveries. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)Tom Thomas 43, of Chatham, a suburb of Springfield, was traveling to St. Louis for a visit, Monday, May 1, 2023, in Divernon, Ill. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
Dairon Socarras Quintero, 32, shows the dust collected on the backpack he had inside his company's truck at the time of the dust storm, even though his cabin is completely closed up, Monday, May 1, 2023, in Divernon, Ill. Socarras was driving a 16 foot truck for his elk Grove Village based company that does custom picture framing he was on his way to St. Louis to make deliveries. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The death toll from numerous crashes on Interstate 55 that occurred amid a blinding May 1 dust storm has risen to eight, a coroner said Wednesday.
Ruth Rau, 81, of Sorento, who was a passenger in a car that crashed in the dust storm, died of blunt force injuries Tuesday night at a Springfield hospital, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said.
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The crashes involved a total of 72 vehicles, with at least 37 people taken to hospitals.
The crashes closed I-55 in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis. Gov. J.B. Pritzker described the scene as horrific.
Winds at the time were gusting between 35 mph (56 kph) and 45 mph (74 kph), the National Weather Service said.
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