Five children thrown from vehicle in I-55 crash

Five children were thrown from a vehicle during a rollover accident Tuesday night on Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jason Selzer said the children -- ages 1, 4, 7, 10 and 11 -- were not wearing seat belts or other child restraints.

The accident happened when a 29-year-old Nebraska woman was passing a semitrailer on northbound I-55 around 10:30 p.m. Selzer said accounts indicate the woman's Honda Pilot got too close to the semitrailer and she overcorrected, causing the rollover. She was wearing her seat belt and had minor injuries.

The children were in serious condition Wednesday morning, with some more severely injured than others, Selzer said. Their names weren't being released.

The driver was related to the children, Selzer said. Some were her children, and the rest were otherwise related to her.

Police are still investigating the accident and preparing to apply for charges against the driver. Selzer said her name was not yet being released due to the severity of the accident.