RICHMOND, KY -- An Illinois man was killed late this morning on Interstate 75 in Madison County when, for unexplained reasons, his car careened off the road and crashed head-on into a bridge pillar.

Kentucky State Police have identified the victim as 41-year old Thomas A. Nichols of 6103 East Avenue, Hodgkins, Illinois. A KSP news release says damage to his 2002 Dodge Neon was "very severe."

Nichols was declared dead at the scene by the Madison County Coroner. Hodgkins, Illinois is a suburb of Chicago.

The release says Hodgkins was northbound shortly after 11 a.m. when the accident occurred about the 83 mile marker of I-75 a few miles south of Richmond.

One lane of that section of the interstate was shut down for several hours hindering, but not blocking traffic. KSP Trooper Scott T. King was dispatched to the scene at the time of the crash and is investigating the incident.