URBANA – Brittany Babb wanted her dad to help her decide which wedding dress she should wear when he walked her down the aisle Aug. 1. After doing that Thursday, Michael Babb and his only daughter celebrated with other family and friends.

Less than 24 hours later, the dress was relegated to a memory.

Miss Babb, 24, of Ogden, was killed when a drunken driver going the wrong way on Interstate 74 north of Champaign and Urbana struck the car her fiance was driving head-on Friday afternoon.

Zachary Acton, 24, of Collison was in surgery Friday night for a broken arm and other injuries, surrounded by about 60 to 70 friends and family stunned by the tragedy.

Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Rory Steidl said Elizabeth Drewes, 53, of the 1000 block of Churchhill Downs Drive, Champaign, was arrested on preliminary charges of aggravated driving under the influence. She was booked into the Champaign County jail late Friday afternoon and was due in court this morning.

Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup said an autopsy would be done today on Miss Babb, who was pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m. Friday at the scene of the crash, a quarter-mile west of Lincoln Avenue. She was pinned in the minivan that she and Acton were in and had to be cut out by Champaign firefighters.

The interstate was closed for about 5½ hours after the fatal collision, which also involved a third vehicle, driven by Randall Smith, 52, of Alexander. With him in his Dodge Durango was Tona Smith, 53, also of Alexander.

Steidl said Drewes got on I-74 at Lincoln Avenue in Urbana and was driving west in the eastbound passing lane when she hit Acton head-on at 1:05 p.m. Drewes' Cadillac Escalade then spun and was hit by Smith, who was behind Acton's Pontiac Torrent.

Steidl said after the collision, Drewes' Escalade burst into flames. Passersby pulled her from it before she was hurt. She refused medical treatment but was taken to the hospital by state police before going to jail. Steidl said there was a dog in her vehicle. He wasn't sure what happened to it but was told an animal control officer came to the scene.

Acton and the Smiths were also taken to Carle Foundation Hospital for treatment. Acton was listed in serious condition Friday evening while the Smiths were treated and released.

Steidl declined to give details of Drewes' condition other than to say troopers had probable cause to arrest her for driving under the influence. She was also given tickets for going the wrong way on a highway, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and driving without insurance.

Champaign County court records show Drewes has a pending driving under the influence charge stemming from her arrest Sept. 30 on I-57 near Thomasboro. She was scheduled to appear in court on that charge Tuesday.

Miss Babb is the daughter of Michael and Michele Babb of rural Penfield. Michael Babb farms and Michele Babb works at the federal courthouse in Urbana for U.S. District Court Judge Michael McCuskey.

McCuskey said Michele Babb got word of the accident at their office about 2:30 p.m. and rushed to Carle. He said it was later in the afternoon that he and the other court staff got the news of Miss Babb's death while they were in court.

Becky and Joe Gordon of Urbana were among the supporters gathered at Carle on Friday night.

Becky Gordon said her husband Joe is a cousin to Michael Babb and also a dear friend of Sally Acton, mother to the injured Zachary Acton, the youngest of three boys.

"They just got engaged right before Thanksgiving," said Becky Gordon.

She said Brittany and Zach had been dating eight years, having been a couple since their days at Armstrong High School, the same school that Joe Gordon, Mike Babb and Sally Acton attended years earlier.

Miss Babb graduated from Armstrong High in 2002 and the University of Illinois in 2006 with a degree in agribusiness, farm and financial management. She worked as an agricultural lender at the First National Bank of Ogden since 2006.

On Friday, Miss Babb and Acton were about to leave for a ski trip in northern Illinois with friends, Gordon said. After doing some Christmas shopping, they had lunch with Brittany's only brother, Tyler Babb, 21, a senior at the University of Illinois, and some other friends and relatives.

"They were very close," Gordon said of Brittany and Tyler Babb.

Brittany's Facebook page says she's engaged, has moderate political views and is looking for friendship. Among her favorite movies: "The Wedding Planner."

"She had just picked out her dress (Thursday) night. She wanted her dad to see her dress. Mike told her which one he liked," Gordon said.

Father and daughter agreed on the same dress.