Coal City Fatality Victim And Bolingbrook Semi Driver ID'd

BOLINGBROOK, IL - A brake drum that dislodged from a Bolingbrook man's semi-tractor tractor was responsible for Tuesday afternoon's fatality in Joliet along Interstate 80 near Rowell Avenue, the Illinois State Police announced revealed on Wednesday. Antanas Sereiva, 59, of Bolingbrook, was driving a 2005 Volvo Truck tractor with a Hyundai semi-tractor, police said. The victim of the fatality, Melinda Cullen, 38, of Coal City, was driving a 2016 GMC Acadia.

As a result of Tuesday's investigation, the Illinois State Police announced that Sereiva has been charged with a federal motor carrier safety act violation for having unsafe equipment. The incident happened around 2:20 p.m.

The State Police said their preliminary investigation of the I-80 fatality concluded that the Bolingbrook man's Volvo truck was driving east on I-80 near Rowell Avenue when his truck's wheel hub detached from the rear tractor axle. "The brake drum crossed over into the I-80 westbound lanes entering the windshield of an Acadia, striking the driver, Melinda Cullen," Illinois State Police announced.

Illinois State Police are asking for witnesses to this fatality. If you saw this incident unfold, you are urged to call the Illinois State Police District 5 at 815-726-6377, extension 288.

Meanwhile, the Will County Coroner's Office of Patrick O'Neil scheduled an autopsy today for the victim. Melinda Cullen's Facebook page profile identified her as a mother, daughter, sister and wife and that she had studied speech communication at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

File image of Joliet I-80 via Joliet Patch