Joseph Wayne Sands Killed in Fatal Interstate 55 Crash Near Madison County, Illinois – October 5, 2025

In the early hours of Sunday, October 5, 2025, Joseph Wayne Sands, a 63-year-old resident of Cottage Hills, Illinois, died in a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 55. The crash occurred near Mile Marker 8 in the northbound lanes at approximately 4:25 a.m. Sands, operating a 1992 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, was reportedly struck from behind by a box truck after his vehicle slowed in the travel lane. Upon impact, Sands’ truck caught fire.

Madison County Coroner’s Office personnel pronounced Sands dead at the scene. The driver of the box truck was transported in critical condition to a hospital in the St. Louis area. The Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit was activated, and the incident remains under investigation in coordination with the Madison County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy was completed, and toxicology tests are pending. Funeral arrangements are being managed by Marks Mortuary in Wood River.