Nails left at Interstate 80 emergency turnarounds in La Salle, Bureau counties, state police say

Illinois State Police troopers spent the pre-dawn hours Saturday picking up nails – possibly strewn intentionally – from the turnarounds on Interstate 80 in La Salle and Bureau counties.

The agency said in a Saturday police report that troopers were dispatched about 4:30 a.m. to I-80 at milepost 93, near the Marseilles exit, following a report of nails having been deposited in various emergency vehicle median turn arounds.

“Troopers are currently clearing the emergency vehicle turn arounds on the interstate from milepost 52 (west of Route 26 in Princeton) to 93 in Bureau and La Salle counties,” the agency reported. “There have not been reports of nails in the roadway at this time. There is no additional information available to share at this time.”

Following that report, state police issued an appeal for the public’s help in identifying persons of interest. The agency said nails, specifically “a large amount of roofing nails” contained in plastic Easter eggs, were discovered around 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the emergency crossovers between Geneseo and Atkinson.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Special Agent Nicholas Rubino at 309-752-4915 ext. 4931.