ILLINOIS STATE POLICE SQUAD CAR STRUCK ON I-55
ISP Experiences 10th Move Over Law-Related Crash of 2025
September 2, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025
DWIGHT – Illinois State Police (ISP) officers investigated a traffic crash that occurred on I-55 southbound at milepost 217 in Livingston County involving an ISP Trooper. The Trooper was handling a previous crash when their squad car was struck by a driver who failed to move over.
On September 2, 2025, at approximately 2:45 a.m., an ISP Trooper was parked in the right lane of I-55 behind a disabled vehicle involved in a previous crash; the squad car had its emergency lights activated. A Chevrolet Express van failed to move over and struck the rear driver side of the Trooper’s squad car. The Trooper was inside of the squad car at the time of the crash but reported no injuries. The Trooper’s squad car was towed from the scene due to disabling damage sustained from the crash. The driver of the Chevrolet, 59-year-old Samuel Gomez of Omaha, NE, was charged with Driving Too Fast for Conditions, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, and a Scott’s Law/Move Over Law violation.
In 2025, ISP has already suffered ten Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2024, ISP suffered 27 Move Over Law-related crashes with 12 Troopers injured and one death. In 2023, ISP had 21 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven Troopers injured. ISP reminds the public the Move Over Law, also known as “Scott’s Law” in Illinois, 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 about ISP related crashes can be found at the following link: https://isp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/340d57cd956c453da2de25af804c268d.
The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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