JEFFERSON/MARION COUNTY — Freezing rain early Sunday morning is being blamed for several car crashes across the region, including those that closed both northbound and southbound lanes on Interstate 57 between the Dix-Irvington and Centralia exits.

According to the Illinois State Police, three people were injured in a three-vehicle crash on northbound I-57.

Preliminary crash reports say a semi driven by 34-year-old Mohamed Ahmed of Columbus, Ohio attempted to slow when seeing traffic in front of him slow.

Due to the icy road, however, Ahmed’s semi jackknifed and came to rest across both northbound lanes.

An SUV driven by 42-year-old Charles Yates of Plainview, Arkansas, was following Ahmed and came to a stop on the right shoulder.

A semi behind Yates driven by 32-year-old Firooz Faseh of Houston, Texas failed to reduce speed and struck both the jackknifed semi and Yates.

Faseh and a passenger in the Ahmed truck, 34-year-old Mohammad Faquiri of Houston, Texas, were injured and transported by ambulance to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia. Charges are pending further investigation.