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Mule triggers multi-truck crash, spill

Saturday, August 23, 2008 11:38 PM CDT

WHITE COUNTY - Illinois State Police at Carmi said two people were hurt and 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled after a tanker hit a mule about 5:30 a.m. Saturday on U.S. 45 a mile south of Illinois 14.

Police said Gary L. Schuetz, age 57, of Okawville was northbound on U.S. 45 towing a tanker when his truck hit a mule on the road.

Schuetz's semitrailer left the west side of the road and overturned in a ditch.

The tanker-trailer, which remained partially in the southbound lane of U.S. 45, ruptured and spilled about the diesel fuel, police said.

A passing motorist, Donnie R. Moyer, 61, of Mount Vernon, stopped his semitrailer on the shoulder of the highway and got out to offer help to Schuetz.

Harold S. Weber, 76, of Mill Shoals, was southbound on U.S. Weber then lost control of his dump truck, which hit Schuetz's tanker-trailer, jack-knifed and then hit Moyer, who was standing in the southbound lane of U.S. 45.

Schuetz was taken to Hamilton County Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro and transferred to Belleville Memorial Hospital. Moyer was also was taken to Hamilton County Memorial; he was transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Weber was not injured.