In the early hours of December 29, a DUI driver slammed into two squad cars on the Dan Ryan Expressway, causing a chain-reaction crash that landed two police officers in the hospital. According to Illinois State Police (ISP), a Honda Pilot driven by Markeila C. Pittman, aged 36, failed to obey move-over laws, crashing into a stationary Chicago Police Department (CPD) vehicle and pushing it into an ISP squad car. The incident occurred on Interstate 94 near 89th Street in Cook County.
During the time of the mishap, both police vehicles had been parked with emergency lights on, responding to an earlier crash. Authorities reported that the ISP officer escaped injury, but two Chicago police officers were not so fortunate, necessitating transportation to a nearby hospital. Pittman, too, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and is now facing serious charges — including Aggravated Driving Under the Influence while her license was revoked.
Details provided by the Illinois State Police's press release indicate that Pittman has received citations for violating Scott’s Law — the mandate requiring drivers to yield to emergency vehicles — among other offenses. Scott's Law violators face steep fines ranging from $250 to $10,000 for a first offense and potential license suspension if injuries occur.
In the wake of 20 Move Over Law-related crashes in 2023, the ISP is embarking on an effort to thoroughly remind drivers about the critical importance of obeying traffic laws designed to protect those serving to keep the roads safe. Comparatively, there were 23 Move Over Law-related crashes in 2022, during which eight troopers sustained injuries, indicating a sustained risk faced by those in uniform.
For motorists seeking more information about Scott’s Law and safe driving practices around emergency vehicles, ISP encourages visiting their online dashboard.
