CLINTON COUNTY — Smoke could be seen for miles Friday afternoon coming from the burning wreckage of a head-on crash that claimed the life of a 61-year-old Breese man on new U.S. 50 in Clinton County.

Clinton County Coroner Phillip Moss pronounced Mikel Huelsmann dead at the scene Friday from blunt force trauma.

The crash was reported around 12:30 Friday afternoon and involved a mini- van and a semi-truck at Highway 50 at Flat Branch Road, just northwest of Carlyle.

According to officials, Huelsmann was driving westbound when he crossed the center line and struck the eastbound semi-truck head on

The driver of the semi was transported to a hospital in Breese with non-life threatening injuries.

Upon their arrival, firefighters found the van was fully engulfed in flames. Witnesses reportedly said the van crossed the center line but the Illinois State Police continue to investigate the crash.

Beckemeyer, Carlyle and Wheatfield fire departments responded to the call, along with Breese and Clinton EMS and Arch helicopter. They remained on scene for almost 4 hours.