The Illinois State Fire Marshall is working with sheriff investigators in Iroquois County as they look into a possible connection between a house fire and the fatal crash Monday that killed two women.  No further information is being released concerning a Buckley house fire where one of the women lived.  County Coroner Bill Cheatum said autopsy results on the body of 44-year-old Krista Woltz-Hernandez may be a wait.  She died in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 45, after witnesses allegedly reported she set fire to her own house then left the scene of the fire.

Hernandez and a Rantoul woman died in the traffic crash while she was being pursued by a Paxton Police officer and Ford County Sheriff's Police.  No details have been released as to why police wanted to stop her vehicle.  It was later learned a 9-1-1 call led to a "stop and hold" on Hernandez' SUV over medical and mental health concerns. 

Buckley fire responded to the hosue fire shortly before 3 pm Monday.  The traffic crash happened about 5:10 pm. 

During the police pursuit, Hernandez ran her car across the centerline of Route 45 hitting a truck then slamming a Jeep head-on killing 65-year-old Julie McGowan of Rantoul. Hernandez and McGowan were pronounced dead at the scene.

94.1 WGFA