Six people – five of them Southern Illinoisans, three of them children – died in a multiple collision that began when a southbound semi bounced off a guard rail in a construction zone just south of Marion. The semi, driven by 52-year-old Jimmy Joe Storm of Union City, Tenn., slid along the concrete wall before crossing the grass and dirt median into the northbound lane, according to a preliminary traffic crash description given by State Trooper Ray Minor. The semi sideswiped another semi-trailer, sending it off the road and into a creek. Then it collided head-on with a third semi-trailer and an extended cab full-size Ford pickup truck. Collision debris closed both sides of the interstate for about a 10-mile stretch and covered a large area around the site. The collision happened at about 6:30 p.m. The physical part of the collision was picked up by Thursday morning, with the southbound lanes open at about 5:15 a.m. and the northbound lanes open at about 9 a.m. The loss to the area caused by the tragic deaths of the occupants of the pickup truck won’t be as easy to scrape together and forget. The driver of the pickup truck, Raymond Ruzich, 43, of West Frankfort, his daughters, Ashley, 11, and Jeseca, 7, of Herrin, his girlfriend, Shelly Smothers-Bonney, 29, of West Frankfort and her daughter, Kaylynn Bonney, 10, of Marion, died Wednesday night when the pickup truck was caught in the semi-trailer wreckage. “There is absolute, total sadness on the part of the faculty and the children,” said Monsignor Kenneth Schaefer of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Herrin, where the Ruzich girls attended school. “We all came to Mass this morning and prayed for the family.” Schaefer said those wishing to contribute to the family can do so through the school if they wish. Williamson County Coroner Mike “Junior” Burke said Raymond and Ashley Ruzich and Shelley Smothers-Bonney died immediately in the collision. Jeseca Ruzich and Kaylynn Bonney were taken to Heartland Regional Medical Center. Both were to be helicoptered to St. Louis area hospitals. Kaylynn died in the Heartland emergency room as the helicopter waited for her to board. Jeseca died at Washington County Hospital emergency room in Nashville, where the helicopter was forced to land because of Jessica’s medical complications. Storm was also taken to Heartland, where he, too, died in the emergency room. The other two semi drivers were treated at Heartland, and both have since been released. “This was easily the most tragic traffic crash I’ve ever seen,” State Police Capt. Scott Rice, District 13 commander, said at a press conference Thursday morning. He said no known weather or unusual traffic conditions seem to have contributed to the tragic wreck. CB traffic seems to indicate Storm may have been driving erratically before the accident, Rice said. He stressed the traffic crash reconstruction and investigation are in early stages. It is not even known at this point – and Rice said it may never be known – how fast Storm’s rig was traveling. Other factors, such as seat belt usage, are still under investigation as well. Illinois Department of Transportation Operations Engineer Greg Smothers said all traffic control and safety devices were in place and in full compliance with the law. The lanes in the construction zone are 11 feet wide, he said. There is a slight shift in lanes near the collision site. The posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour when no workers are present. Smothers said most construction work has been done at night to avoid hampering traffic. Workers were preparing to go to the site when the collision occurred. Burke said an autopsy was performed on Storm Thursday afternoon. While there is no immediate evidence that Storm was driving under the influence of alcohol, Burke said his office would be “pretty hush-hush” about conclusions until all pathology reports are complete.
