A Chicago woman who drove into a crowd of anti-ICE protesters in the Loop in June has avoided prison time and instead been sentenced to two years of second-chance probation, along with 100 hours of community service. The crash left a 66-year-old demonstrator with a broken arm and sparked outrage among marchers on the downtown streets. The probation term is set to run through Nov. 24, 2027.
Sentence and court paperwork
According to court documents, 30-year-old Deirdre J. Kemp was identified as the driver and arrested on June 19, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago. The judge handed down 24 months of "2nd chance" probation and ordered Kemp to complete 100 hours of community service as part of the deal, according to those filings.
How the June crash unfolded
The incident on June 10 unfolded as thousands of demonstrators moved through the Loop near State and Monroe streets during protests against federal immigration enforcement, according to WBEZ. Witnesses and police accounts say Kemp’s vehicle ended up between police cars on State Street before she turned into the march and accelerated through the crowd.
Video and pursuit captured the scene
News video shows the vehicle pushing through the demonstrators, then taking off, while prosecutors and police reports state that Kemp had three children in the car as she fled. A police sergeant tried to stop the vehicle by reaching inside, lost his balance, and collided with protester Heather Blair, who later learned she had a fractured arm, according to CBS News Chicago.
Victim's account
"I saw [the vehicle]. My husband got out of the way. I think I blacked out," Blair recalled of the moment she was struck, in comments reported by FOX 32 Chicago. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and released after treatment for a broken arm and other injuries.
Charges and legal context
Prosecutors charged Kemp with aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm, aggravated fleeing causing bodily injury and driving on a suspended license, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Court records discussed in earlier hearings also show she was out on bond in a separate violent-felony case in Will County at the time of the Loop crash.
After the sentence
With probation and community service in place, Kemp will remain under court supervision instead of heading to prison, at least through late 2027. The details of the case, from the chaotic moments on State Street to Monday’s sentencing, come from court records and local reporting on the June protest and subsequent hearings.
