ILLINOIS STATE POLICE SQUAD CAR STRUCK BY DRIVER ON INTERSTATE 55 NEAR LITCHFIELD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 23, 2024

LITCHFIELD – On April 20, 2024, at approximately 9:02 p.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a traffic crash south of Litchfield in Macoupin County involving an ISP trooper’s squad car hit by a motorist who failed to move over.

On the above date and time, an ISP squad car was parked and blocking a lane of traffic on Interstate 55 northbound near milepost 45.8, with emergency lights activated, handling a previous traffic crash. The trooper was outside of the squad when it was struck by a white Toyota. The trooper and the driver of the Toyota, 76-year-old Fred J. Stewart of Springfield, IL., were uninjured. Stewart was cited for the Move Over Law – Failure to Yield to Stationary Emergency Vehicle and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident.

Already in 2024, ISP has suffered 13 Move Over Law-related crashes with five troopers injured. In 2023, ISP had 21 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven troopers injured and suffered 25 crashes in 2022, leaving 13 troopers injured. ISP reminds the public that the Move Over Law, also known as “Scott’s Law,” requires all drivers to move over when approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated. ​ ​

A person who violates the Move Over Law faces a fine of no less than $250 and no more than $10,000 for a first offense. If the violation results in injury to another person, the violator’s driver’s license will be suspended for a mandatory period of anywhere between six months and two years. Additional information can be found at the following link: https://isp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/340d57cd956c453da2de25af804c268d.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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