One of the victims of last night’s horrific crash in County Wexford was an American police officer.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the crash near New Ross on the N25 that took the lives of four members of the same family.

Illinois police officer Steven Alexander, 49, his brother Doug Jnr, and his parents Doug and Lily were all killed in the collision with a truck at Begerin Hill.

The family - who lived in Illinois in America - had rented a car and were on their way to family funeral when the collision occured.

The driver and a passenger in the lorry escaped injury.

Local Councilor John Fleming knows the Alexander’s extended family:

In a statement this afternoon, the Bolingbrook Police Department in Illinois said Officer Alexander was a "proud father who left behind two daughters, age 11 and 10, who were his pride and joy."

Bolingbrook PD director Ken Teppel said Officer Alexander was, "an exemplary officer who took great pride in his law enforcement career and who devoted himself to protecting and serving the citizens of Bolingbrook."

"Steve will be missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him and we will forever keep the Alexander family in our thoughts and our prayers," he said.

The road was closed all day as forensic officers carried out an investigation but it has since reopened.

The cause of the collision isn't known and it's understood road and weather conditions were reasonably good in the area at the time of the crash.

The Chief Superintendent of the Wexford Division said it’s the worst collision he’s ever seen in his career.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who may have information to come forward.

From Co Wexford, Stephanie Grogan reports: