Bolingbrook, IL — January 6, 2026, three people were injured in a multi-vehicle bus accident just after 8 a.m. on Interstate 55/Barack Obama Presidential Expressway.

Authorities said a southbound Pace bus was involved in a crash with three other vehicles near Interstate 355/Veterans Memorial Tollway.

Three drivers were hospitalized with unspecified injuries, according to authorities. It is not clear how they were involved in the crash.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Will County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash involves multiple vehicles and a public transit bus, as it did here on I-55, it’s natural for people to want to know: How did this happen? Why were multiple drivers hospitalized? And where does responsibility lie when so many moving parts are involved?

At this point, those are exactly the right questions to ask, because authorities haven’t yet told us enough to answer them. What we do know is that a southbound Pace bus was involved in a crash with three other vehicles. But the reports don’t tell us who struck whom, whether any vehicles were stopped or changing lanes or even whether the bus driver was among those injured. That leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

In situations like this, the only way to get clarity is through a thorough, evidence-based investigation. That includes checking for dash cam footage (many buses are equipped with cameras), reviewing bus driver records and looking at black box data from all vehicles involved, not just the bus. It also means analyzing things like weather conditions, vehicle positions and even cell phone records if distracted driving is suspected.

One important detail that hasn’t been shared yet is whether this was a chain-reaction collision — where one driver’s actions caused a domino effect — or whether there were separate impacts with different causes. That distinction matters a great deal when assigning responsibility.

Over the years, I’ve worked on cases where initial reports made it seem like fault was shared equally, only to learn later that one driver’s inattention, a faulty brake system or a sudden unsafe lane change set the entire event in motion. That’s why I always caution against jumping to conclusions based on early reporting.

When a commercial vehicle like a bus is involved, there are also additional layers of responsibility: management oversight, maintenance policies and driver training all come under the microscope. Depending on what the evidence shows, the outcome of an investigation could point to an individual driver, a company-wide failure or even both.

Key Takeaways:

• Reports haven’t yet explained how the crash unfolded or who caused it.
• Crucial questions remain about the role each driver played and what evidence might clarify that.
• Bus cameras, driver records and ECM data are all vital to a proper investigation.
• Responsibility could lie with one party, or multiple, depending on what the facts reveal.
• Thorough investigations help ensure that accountability is based on evidence, not assumptions.