One hurt in head-on crash on Route 173 in Antioch

Route 173 in Antioch was closed for four hours Monday after an early morning crash caused when an SUV swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic, authorities said.

Antioch police and fire crews were called to Route 173 and McMillen Road about 5:30 a.m. for the head-on crash between a truck and the SUV, authorities said. An investigation showed a 33-year-old man from Richmond was driving a 2008 Chevy SUV west on Route 173 when his vehicle struck an eastbound 2003 Mack semitrailer truck carrying approximately 46,000 pounds of sand, authorities said.

The crash sparked a fire when batteries on the truck exploded, authorities said. Several vehicles parked nearby at a dealership along Route 173 were damaged because of the heat from the fire.

The road was closed for approximately four hours while the fire was put out and the accident investigated. It reopened about 9:30 a.m.

The truck driver, a 36-year-old man from Houston, Texas, was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with minor injuries. The driver of the SUV was not hurt.

The driver of the SUV was cited for improper lane usage and unlawful use of an electronic communication device, authorities said. The driver was using a cellphone at the time of the crash, authorities said.