WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A former Illinois state official serving as deputy director of the Iraqi Transition Assistance Office was among three people killed Monday by a roadside bomb near the Iraqi city of Falluja, officials said.
Terry Barnich was chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission from 1989 to 1992, a commission spokeswoman said. The agency issued a statement Tuesday passing along "its deepest sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues" of Barnich, a Chicago native.
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said Barnich was part of a group "returning from an inspection of a wastewater treatment plant under construction in Falluja" when their car went over the bomb.
The U.S. military said a coalition service member also died in the explosion, and Hill said a Department of Defense employee detailed to embassy staff was killed, too.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the victims' families and friends, and our profound appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice they made in service to their country and for the people of Iraq," Hill said in a written statement.
"This is a tragic loss and one we all mourn. We and all who are working for a brighter future for Iraq condemn this terrible attack in the strongest possible terms. We remain committed as ever to helping Iraqis achieve the peace, stability and prosperity that will make such acts of terror a thing of the past."