Pickup Truck Driver Killed In Crash Near Joliet Airport ID'd: Coroner

JOLIET — A 72-year-old Lombard man lost his life Wednesday evening after being involved in a crash involving four vehicles on Joliet's West Jefferson Street near the Joliet Municipal Airport.

The Will County Coroner's Office identified him as Peter J. Graff.

Joliet police learned of the crash at 6:30 p.m.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, officers responded to West Jefferson Street and Airport Drive for a multi-vehicle traffic crash with injuries.

A Ford Ranger truck driven by the 72-year-old Lombard man was westbound on West Jefferson when it struck the rear passenger side of a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 44-year-old Shorewood woman. She was driving westbound on West Jefferson Street in the inside lane, police said.

Graff's Ford truck also struck the rear driver's side of a Tesla 3 driven by a 38-year-old Naperville man, who was also westbound on West Jefferson Street in the curb lane.

After hitting two cars, Graff's truck then drove between the Jeep and Tesla and swerved to the left into the oncoming eastbound traffic lanes, striking an eastbound Pontiac Torrent driven by a 22-year-old Rockdale man head-on, English said.

The 72-year-old driver of the Ford truck was taken by Joliet paramedics to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center, where he died.

No other injuries were reported from the crash. The roadway was closed for several hours as Joliet police officers reconstructed the crash.

Anyone with video footage or information regarding this crash is encouraged to contact the Joliet Police Traffic Unit at (815) 724-3193. This crash remains under investigation.