Jonathan Bullington

Ruth Rau with her husband, Otto Rau, in 2007. Ruth and Otto were driving to see her doctor in Springfield on May 1 when they were caught in the dust storm and crash along Interstate 55. Ruth, 81, died in the hospital two weeks later. Otto, 87, survived the crash.

The I-55 dust storm crash took lives, shattered families. Here are some of their stories.

June 19, 2023 at 10:45 a.m.

Matt Zinchuk was worried. In three decades, his mom rarely missed a piano lesson. And yet, on that Monday evening in May, with students waiting at the family's Champaign home,...

First responders work the scene after the series of deadly crashes involving at least 80 vehicles that shut down Interstate 55 near Springfield on May 1, 2023.

Deadly I-55 dust storm: The ‘hellish’ minutes scores of drivers spent battling a 200-foot wall of farm soil

May 19, 2025 at 3:34 p.m.

By all accounts, Monday, May 1, started as a beautiful morning. Clear skies. Cool. The gusting wind out of the northwest, not uncommon for a central Illinois landscape covered by...

A building sits empty on the site of a proposed abortion clinic at 600 N. Logan Ave. in Danville on May 2, 2023.

Illinois man accused of attempted arson to planned abortion clinic said he’d ‘finish the job’ if freed from jail, feds say

May 24, 2023 at 3:33 p.m.

The Illinois man accused of crashing his car into a future abortion clinic in Danville while attempting to set it on fire told authorities he intended to destroy the building...

More than 80 vehicles were reportedly involved in numerous crashes on Interstate 55 from milepost 76 to 78 on May 1, 2023, Illinois State Police said. Officials updated the death toll for the pileup to eight. The crashes happened during a dust storm described as similar to "whiteout" conditions.

Eighth person dies from injuries in I-55 crash caused by dust storm near Springfield

May 18, 2023 at 2:24 p.m.

An eighth person has died from injuries suffered when a May 1 dust storm led to a massive multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 in central Illinois. Ruth Rau, 81, of...

Owner Donna Walker styles Shelia Wideman's hair at Cutting Edge Hair Gallery in Evanston on April 14, 2023.

Evanston’s groundbreaking reparations plan was stumbling. A brother and sister pushed it forward.

May 7, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Kenneth Wideman loves his apartment near downtown Evanston. It's a spacious one bedroom with an eat-in kitchen that opens to the living room and its four big windows, where he...

Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark dances to Frank Sinatra music after seeing election results come in at his campaign headquarters in Harvey on April 4, 2023.

Suburban elections: Wehrli declares victory as Naperville’s next mayor; D’Arcy claims win over Joliet incumbent O’Dekirk; Elgin’s Kaptain gains 4th term

April 5, 2023 at 10:52 a.m.

While Chicago attracted most of the media attention for its mayoral race Tuesday, several prominent suburbs held hotly contested elections to choose new mayors. Some races, including Naperville and Oak...

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The I-55 dust storm crash took lives, shattered families. Here are some of their stories.

Deadly I-55 dust storm: The ‘hellish’ minutes scores of drivers spent battling a 200-foot wall of farm soil

Illinois man accused of attempted arson to planned abortion clinic said he’d ‘finish the job’ if freed from jail, feds say

Eighth person dies from injuries in I-55 crash caused by dust storm near Springfield

Evanston’s groundbreaking reparations plan was stumbling. A brother and sister pushed it forward.

Suburban elections: Wehrli declares victory as Naperville’s next mayor; D’Arcy claims win over Joliet incumbent O’Dekirk; Elgin’s Kaptain gains 4th term

Joliet prepares for Election Day amid warehouse boom, city hall turmoil, neighborhood concerns

Worker falls to death at West Side building site

1 dead, 1 wounded in Sauk Village shooting

Black bear sighted near Rockford