An Illinois reservist assigned to the Army Reserve's 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment was killed Wednesday in Iraq, the Department of Defense said yesterday.

Spc. Casey L. Hills, 23, of Salem, Ill., died of injuries suffered in a multi-vehicle crash during convoy operations, the Pentagon said.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Two other 100th Battalion soldiers — Sgt. Talifaie Tuufuli and Spc. Billy Gibson — were injured in the crash. Both are at the Camp Arifjan Medical Facility with nonserious injuries.

Radio station WJBD in Salem said Hills had gone to Iraq last fall as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Individual Ready Reserves and was scheduled to return home next month.