Plainfield Man Charged With DUI, Seriously Injured in I-55 Accident

A 24-year-old Plainfield resident was airlifted to the hospital and charged with driving under the influence after a crash on Interstate 55 near Shorewood closed all lanes of the highway for a period Tuesday night.

The crash happened at 10:25 p.m. on Interstate 55 South, a half-mile north of Route 52, Illinois State Police Master Sergeant Bill Fuentes said. A passenger car rear-ended a tractor-trailer, then struck the center median.

Elijah D. Amant, 24, of Plainfield, remained in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where he was airlifted Tuesday night.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. His name and condition were not available.

State Police said there was initially a small engine fire in one of the vehicles, but that it had extinguished by the time firefighters arrived.

"There was no fire when we got there," Troy Fire Protection District Chief Steve Engledow said. "It was out when we got there. ... When we got there it was a definite pin-in with heavy extrication."

Plainfield Fire Protection District and Troy Fire Protection District both responded to the crash.

Amant was charged with DUI and additional charges could be pending, police said.

All lanes of I-55, both northbound and southbound, were blocked while fire and police personnel responded to the crash. Officials could not say what time the interstate reopened.