SALEM, IL — Two people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Friday night that closed I-57 near Salem in both directions for an hour and a half.

Illinois State Police say 41-year-old John Heil of McLeansboro was northbound near the Nations Rd. overpass south of Salem when he failed to slow and hit the rear of a car in front of him. That car, driven by 57-year-old Debra Kaczur of Centralia, along with Heil’s vehicle began spinning. The impact and spinning caused Heil’s car to strike a guardrail and rollover.

Kaczur had to have first responders pop open the door to help her out of the vehicle before she was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Heil had to be extricated from his vehicle by the Salem Fire Protection District by removing the roof and one side of the car. Heil was taken by Air Evac helicopter to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and following too closely.

The interstate closure and re-routing of cars off the interstate caused another non-injury crash on South Broadway and West Whitaker St. Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies cleared the scene that saw some delays at Route 161 & Route 37 intersection in Salem.