An Illinois State Police trooper was involved in a road incident on southbound I-94 while responding to an earlier traffic crash, the department confirmed. According to reports, a motorist struck the trooper's marked squad car, which had its emergency lights activated at the time of the incident.
The collision occurred near 111th Street in Pullman at around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, when the trooper’s parked vehicle was rear-ended by an Audi. The driver of the Audi, identified as a 47-year-old man from Dolton, has been cited for several offenses. These include violating Illinois' "Move Over" law, which is a safety measure demanding drivers to switch lanes, or slow down when approaching stationary emergency vehicles with flashing lights. The driver, Samuel Otis III, was also cited for following too closely and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
The trooper was inside the car during the collision and was transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The driver of the Audi and their passenger were also taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries. This accident marks a troubling trend according to state police, citing that it was the 17th incident this year involving a violation of Scott’s Law, also known as the “Move Over" law. The law was named in honor of Chicago Fire Department officer Scott Gillen, who lost his life in 2000 while assisting at the scene of a traffic crash and was fatally struck by a drunk driver.
The stakes for not complying with the law are significant, with fines ranging from $250 to a hefty $10,000 for a first offense, and a possible driver's license suspension for six months to two years if the violation results in an injury. As a consequence of this recent infraction, it is reported that eight troopers have been injured so far this year under similar circumstances. "The incident marks the 17th time so far in 2024 that motorists failing to abide by the 'Move Over' law have crashed into Illinois State Police vehicles," officials from the Illinois State Police noted in a statement obtained by Chicago Tribune.
