DEMOTTE | Seven people were injured, one seriously, in two-car collision just north of DeMotte on Thursday,

According to Jasper County Sheriff's Department Capt. Mike Cain, at about 3 p.m., a Ford pickup truck driven by Joyce Ortyl, 32, of DeMotte was southbound on U.S. 231, when the driver felt ill and went left of center, crashing into a Dodge minivan driven by Donald Cox, 78, of Rensselaer.

Cox, who was driving northbound, steered toward the shoulder but was unable to avoid Ortyl's truck. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage to the driver's sides, wtih rooftop damage to the Ford pickup as it rolled over, police said.

Both drivers had to be extricated by fire department and EMS personnel from Keener Township and Wheatfield Fire Department. The vehicle occupants were transported to St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point by two air ambulance helicopters.

Identities of others injured in the crash were not released.

U.S. 231 was closed to traffic between county roads 1400 North and 1600 North until about 5 p.m. when the scene was cleared.