LaSalle woman was pronounced dead in four-vehicle crash on I-39

An elderly LaSalle woman was pronounced dead after apparently driving through the median of Interstate 39 and into oncoming traffic Saturday night, causing a four-vehicle crash.
Nancy Hylla, 83, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Marshall County Coroner David Lenz.

She had been southbound about 8:40 p.m. on I-39 near milepost 31 when she drove through the median and collided head-on with a northbound vehicle, according to an Illinois State Police press release.

After that collision, Hylla’s vehicle collided with another northbound vehicle. A fourth northbound driver attempted to avoid crashing with the three wrecked vehicles and rolled over in the median.
The three northbound vehicles all had one passenger each.

The driver of the first vehicle to collide with Hylla’s car was identified as Robert Limke, 44, of Rockton. He had life-threatening injuries and was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

A 13-year-old boy in Limke’s vehicle was transported to the Peoria hospital by ambulance.

The driver of the second vehicle to collide with Hylla’s car was identified as Robert Scoles, 62, of Streator. He and a passenger, Sally Scoles, 61, of Streator were transported by ambulance to St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator with what police described as non-life threatening injuries.

The driver and passenger of the fourth vehicle were respectively identified as Danny Clifford, 66, and Deborah Clifford, 57, both of Batavia. They also were transported by ambulance to St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator with what police described as non-life threatening injuries.

The crash closed northbound I-39 near Wenona for hours as police reconstructed the crash. The accident remains under investigation. No citations have been issued.