ILLINOIS OFFICER'S CAR STRUCK DURING I-55 CRASH INVESTIGATION

Three separate crashes -- one involving four vehicles, another involving a semitrailer and an Illinois State Police squad car, and another involving a rolled-over tanker, caused delays and stopped traffic on two interstates in the south suburbs Monday.

The first crash, involving two semitrailers and two passenger vehicles, happened at about 10:25 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 55 at Route 126 near Plainfield, according to Joliet District Illinois State Police. The trailer of a Fed Ex big rig involved in the crash was stuck on the concrete median wall. One victim from the crash was transported to St. Joseph Hospital with "very minor injuries," according to the release.

At about 10:53 a.m., as a state trooper was investigating that crash, a semitrailer struck the door of his squad car, the release said. The trooper was not injured, according to the crash report. The northbound lanes of I-55 were closed for about 2½ hours, according to the release.

Following those accidents, state police were notified around 11:35 a.m. of a tanker truck that had rolled over in the median of Interstate 80, east of I-55. Troopers were called to the scene along with Troy Fire Protection District. The driver of the tanker required extrication by fire personnel, according to the release.

"Due to the seriousness of the injuries sustained in the crash, the driver was airlifted by Air Angels to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove," the release said. I-80 was closed intermittently for about 30 minutes. The tanker was registered to Rogers Cartage Co. of Crestwood, the release said. It was hauling a non-hazardous fertilizer, Palatinol, at the time of the crash. The release said most of the cargo was contained with very slight leakage.