Leland woman identified as driver who died in Interstate 80 crash near Ottawa

A 54-year-old Leland woman was identified as the SUV driver who died in a four-vehicle crash Friday morning on Interstate 80 near the Route 71 exit in Ottawa.

Joyce A. Riskedal was identified by the La Salle County Coroner’s Office in a news release. An autopsy was performed Saturday.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the crash and will release more information as it becomes available, the coroner’s office said.

A collision occurred about 9:45 a.m. Friday as vehicles merged from two lanes into a single lane at the entrance of a construction zone, according to a Friday news release from the Ottawa Fire Department. The SUV bore the impact of the collision and flipped before settling in a field next to the road, the fire department said.

A semitrailer and car were two other vehicles involved. The driver of the semi and the three occupants of the car were uninjured, the Ottawa Fire Department said. A delivery van also was involved in the crash, but it had minimal damage and caused no injuries.

The Ottawa Fire Department urges caution for all motorists using Interstate 80 near the construction zone at the Fox River bridge and suggests exploring alternative travel options whenever feasible.