JEFFERSON COUNTY — Interstate 57 northbound at the Dix exit was closed for several hours early this morning following a devastating crash between a semi and an SUV.

Three individuals, including a male juvenile, from Shreveport, Louisiana were transported to area hospitals with injuries. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office pronounced two other adults, also from Shreveport, dead at the scene.

According to the Illinois State Police,  both the semi and the SUV were traveling northbound on Interstate 57 near milepost 102.5, in the construction area when the SUV made contact with the semi as the lanes merged from two lanes to one lane.

The SUV left the roadway and overturned several times. Two passengers were ejected from the SUV and the semi left the scene. The incident is still under investigation.

Northbound I-57 was reopened around 7 a.m. but traffic was moving at a crawl and was still backed up to Mt. Vernon.

Southbound I-57 was moving slowly and sometimes was at a standstill following the crash but was moving smoothly by 7 a.m.