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Illinois high school mourns loss of man killed in I-74 wrong-way crash

An Illinois high school held a moment of silence in memory of a volunteer who was killed in a crash on Interstate 74.
charles crabtree, normal, illinois

NORMAL, Illinois -- An Illinois high school held a moment of silence in memory of a volunteer who was killed in a crash on Interstate 74.

According to NBC Chicago, the moment of silence was held Thursday, December 6 before a girls varsity basketball game at Normal Community West High School.  The students there were remembering 72-year-old Charlie Crabtree.

Crabtree was a passenger on the school bus when he was killed in a wrong-way crash on Wednesday, December 5.  According to the school's athletic director he was with the JV girls' basketball team, on their way back from an away game in Champaign.  The bus collided head-on with a semi that was driving the wrong direction on the interstate.

Police said 64-year-old Mark A. Kuhn was the school bus driver; he was listed in critical condition Thursday morning.

Members of the community said Crabtree cared about the students and never stopped doing what he loved.

"He was someone that I always looked up to," said student Dani Freeman, "just being passionate about everything he did, he had such a big heart, he cared about everyone, he just always cared."

The crash happened near Downs, Illinois, about 140 miles southeast of the Quad Cities. The semi was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes when it hit the school bus, according to a statement from the Illinois State Police.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Mr. Crabtree was driving the school bus.  It has been corrected to note that he was a passenger.

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