THREE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE SQUAD CARS STRUCK IN TWO DAYS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, January 3, 2025

CHICAGO – Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated two separate traffic crashes that occurred in DuPage and Cook counties involving ISP troopers who were handling separate vehicle crashes when their squad cars were struck by drivers who failed to move over.

On December 31, 2024, at approximately 1:57 p.m., an ISP trooper was outside of their squad car handling a crash with their emergency lights activated on Interstate 55 northbound near Woodward Avenue. A Hyundai sedan failed to move over and rear-ended the parked squad car. The parked squad car blocked three troopers on scene from being hit. No injuries were reported. The ISP squad car was towed from the scene due to damage sustained during the crash. The driver of the Hyundai, 23-year-old Alyssa M. Ceballos of Lockport, Illinois, was charged with driving Too Fast for Conditions and a Scott’s Law violation.

On January 1, 2025, at approximately 3:09 a.m., two ISP troopers were enroute to assist with a previous personal injury crash on I-57 when they came upon a separate crash on I-57 northbound at 107^th Street. Both ISP troopers stopped on the left shoulder and partially in the left lane with their emergency lights activated. A Hyundai Sonata approaching the crash scene, struck a black passenger car, then struck both ISP squad cars. One ISP trooper was inside their squad car and one ISP trooper was outside their squad car at the time of the crash. No injuries were sustained by the ISP troopers. The driver of the Hyundai, Kashawn M. Walker, 34, of Matteson, Illinois was transported to an area hospital with injuries. Walker was charged with a Scott’s Law Violation.

In 2025, ISP has already suffered one Move Over Law-related crash. 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 and suffered 25 crashes in 2022 leaving 13 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 can be found at the following link: https://isp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/340d57cd956c453da2de25af804c268d.

The charges are not evidence against the defendants, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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