2 motorists die following 3-vehicle crash on Interstate 39 near Mendota

Two motorists died Tuesday night following a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 39 near Mendota.

According to Illinois State Police, a motorist driving a pickup truck shortly after 11 p.m. was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 39 near milepost 76 and struck a motorist driving an SUV head on. The pickup truck came to rest in the center median and the SUV came to rest in the northbound lanes of Interstate 39, troopers said.

A third vehicle, a Ford F-650 straight truck, was traveling northbound on Interstate 39 and struck the SUV.

The drivers of the pickup truck and SUV were pronounced dead on scene by the La Salle County Coroner’s Office.

Interstate 39 northbound was closed with traffic diverted onto U.S. 34 during the investigation. All lanes were reopened by about 4:10 a.m. Wednesday.

The crash is under investigation by the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit. The names of those involved in the crash, including the deceased, were not released by authorities, pending notification of their families.