Plainfield Man Killed In I-80 Crash

A Plainfield man is dead following a fatal crash on Friday afternoon, June 4th. Sixty-one year old Gregory Hartwig was driving a Mack truck tractor trailer. Illinois State Police report, a preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: A 2006 White Volvo semi was traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 just west of milepost 122 (Ridge Road) in Grundy County. A 2021 White Volvo semi was stopped in traffic in front of the first the 2006 Volvo, and the Mack truck driver by Hartwig and a black Toyota Venza were traveling behind the 2006 semi. For unknown reasons, as traffic came to a stop in the right lane, the driver of the 2006 semi failed to reduce the speed of the vehicle and struck the rear of 2021 semi. The Mack semi struck the rear of the first semi. Meanwhile, the Toyota veered to the left to avoid the Mack semi and struck the concrete median barrier. The driver of Mack semi was extricated from the vehicle and transported to a local area hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

The driver of the 2006 semi was issued citations for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident and Following Too Closely.