Numerous crashes shut down portions of Interstates 57 and 24 Sunday -- leaving four people dead and several injured.
Illinois State Police say 18-year old Emma Caserotti of Mount Vernon died in a crash in Jefferson County just before 1:00 Sunday afternoon.
In that crash, troopers say a Mazda was northbound on I-57 when it crossed the median and hit Caserotti's Jeep head-on. The passenger, 18-year old Tristen Sharp, was airlifted to a regional hospital. The driver and passenger in the Mazda, 25-year old Cole Stevens of Energy and 23-year old Octavia Marshall of Carbondale, were taken to a local hospital. The interstate was closed for five hours.
Meanwhile, two other crashes snarled traffic in Union and Johnson Counties. On Interstate 57 near milepost 24, two people were killed when a Ford Mustang crossed the median and was run over by a semi-trailer.
And one woman was killed when she was thrown from an R-V on Interstate 24 at mile marker 18. Troopers say the R-V was headed west when its front left tire failed. Passenger Karen Braswell was killed when she was thrown from the vehicle. Passenger Mary Allen was flown to a hospital.