An off-duty St. Louis County police officer was one of two people killed in a three-car crash that occurred last night near Smithton. Illinois State Police say 49-year-old James Ellis and 24-year-old Ariah Claybrone, of Memphis, Tennessee were pronounced dead at the scene. A vehicle driven by Dale Claybrone, of Chicago attempted to pass a tractor-trailer and struck Ellis’ minivan head-on. Claybrone’s vehicle spun back into the northbound lane as was struck by the tractor-trailer.
