FRANKLIN COUNTY — Illinois State Police continue to investigate a two-vehicle crash Thursday night on Interstate 57 near Sesser that resulted in one of five horses in a trailer being killed.

According to ISP, around 5:46 p.m. Thursday, 31-year-old Brandii R. Turner, of New London, Missouri was driving a Ford pickup truck pulling a horse trailer southbound on the interstate when around milepost 72 the driver’s side rear tire detached and caused her vehicle to jackknife and leave the roadway to the west.

The horse trailer she was pulling overturned and resulted in five horses being ejected. At the same time, 56-year-old Mark Anthony Blackwood, of Vinemont, Alabama was driving his Freightliner semi-truck southbound in the passing lane where he struck one of the horses, causing significant damage to the semi and killing the horse.

The northbound and southbound lanes of I-57 were shut down for approximately 45 minutes while the four remaining live horses were removed by a Franklin county resident with a horse trailer.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene and Turner was transported to Franklin County Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Turner has been cited for use of unsafe equipment.