A federal report on a tanker-truck crash a year ago in central Illinois highlights an interview with a 17-year-old girl from Ohio who admits to causing the accident. The incident took place on US 40 in Teutopolis, resulting in the spill of a toxic chemical, caustic anhydrous ammonia, which led to five fatalities, including three family members. The girl confesses to passing the truck with a minivan she was driving, causing the tanker to be forced off the road and ultimately crash.
The tanker truck slowed down and moved to the right to let the minivan back into the right-hand lane, avoiding a potential head-on collision with oncoming traffic. The dash-cam video from the truck captured the moment, and during a subsequent interview with Illinois State Police, the girl expressed regret and acknowledged her mistake. The tanker jack-knifed and hit a utility trailer, puncturing the tank and spilling about half of the 7,500-gallon load of anhydrous ammonia.
Following the accident, about 500 people were evacuated to prevent exposure to the hazardous chemical plume. The chemical is used by farmers as a nitrogen fertilizer and in refrigeration. The National Transportation Safety Board released its findings as a factual account, with further analysis and conclusions expected later. The Illinois State Police conducted their investigation and handed over the findings to Effingham County State’s Attorney, Aaron Jones, for further action.
The 17-year-old girl, whose name was redacted in the state police transcript, revealed additional details about the accident during her interview. She was traveling with her mother and brother to meet her mother’s boyfriend in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. The girl narrated her pass of the tanker, explaining that she started in a passing zone but accelerated to overtake oncoming traffic. She admitted to not always using good judgment in such situations and accepted responsibility for the accident.
The truck driver survived the crash and provided details of the events that led to the accident. The truck lost traction on the gravel shoulder, hit a drainage culvert, and caused the tanker to overturn. Despite this, the girl mentioned that she did not connect the emergency vehicles on the road later with the passing incident and only found out about the accident when her mother read news reports aloud. She expressed regret for her actions and the potential consequences, acknowledging the severity of her mistake. No legal action or charges have been mentioned as of now, as the investigation is ongoing.
