MURPHYSBORO, IL — Two people died as a result of a Thanksgiving night crash near the intersection of Old Route 13 and Country Club Road in rural Murphysboro.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, when deputies and first responders arrived on scene around 5:30 p.m., they found a gray 2008 Chevy Impala driven by 26-year-old Christopher G. Cross of Murphysboro. Cross was traveling east on Old Route 13 when he lost control of the vehicle and crossed into the westbound lane striking a black 2002 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 30-year-old Jeffery Weiher of Hobart, Indiana.

A passenger in Cross’s car, 23-year-old Ashley Segler of Murphysboro and four children under that age of five were all taken from the scene by ambulance. Segler was later pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Two of the children were airlifted to at St. Louis area hospital in critical condition. One of the children later died as a result of their injuries.

Two passengers in the pickup, 27-year-old Tyler Weiher of La Salle, Illinois and 31-year-old Sally Morrow of Carbondale, were taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale with non-life threatening injuries.

The sheriff’s office says the investigation into the crash is ongoing.