The Sangamon County Coroner Wednesday confirmed the death of a woman from Sorento, Illinois as the 8th victim to die in the accidents caused by a dust storm on Interstate 55 this month.
Coroner Jim Allmon said Ruth Rau, 81, was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed in Montgomery County May 1. His office said Rau was transported by EMS from the scene to HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. She died Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. as an inpatient from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash.
Last week, the Illinois State Police released the other names of victims:
Joseph Bates, 73-year-old from Crystal Lake, IL
Donna Bates, 71-year-old from Crystal Lake, IL
Earl LeGrand, 64-year-old from Florissant, MO
Michael Zinchuk, 55-year-old from Champaign, IL
Amy Zinchuk, 54-year-old from Champaign, IL
Shirley Harper, 88-year old from Franklin, WI
State Police said the crashes were caused by blowing dust from nearby farm fields that led to near zero visibility. A total of 72 vehicles were involved and more than three dozen people were injured. An investigation is continuing.
Winds were blowing between 40-50 m.p.h. that day. Later that afternoon, the National Weather Service in central Illinois posted its first Blowing Dust Warning.
