MURPHYSBORO – A crash involving a car and a horse drawn buggy is under investigation in Jackson County.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened around 8:15 Thursday morning on Illinois 127 South near Caraway Road in rural Murphysboro.

A gray 2015 Nissan Sentra, driven by 25-year-old Jawone Newell of Cape Girardeau, was going north on 127 and approached the buggy from the rear as it was also going north.

Newell failed to slow down and rear-ended the buggy ejecting two juvenile passengers. Both juveniles were taken to an area hospital and later transferred to a St. Louis area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The roadway was closed for a couple of hours.

Newell was cited for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.