CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It has been a dangerous year on the roads for Illinois State Police. Yet another Illinois State Police squad car has been hit on the side of the road - the 11th time that it has happened this year.
The most recent incident occurred Sunday on northbound Interstate 55 in downstate Montgomery County near Springfield. State Police said a squad car was stopped with its emergency lights on when it was struck by another vehicle.
Following the incident, Illinois State Police sent out a tweet saying, "Today is 'Don’t Drive Like a #Knucklehead Day.' Well, it’s not official or anything. Just tell your friends." unofficially declaring March 3: Don’t Drive Like a Knucklehead Day.
❄️--------------❄️Today is “Don’t Drive Like a #Knucklehead Day”.Well, it’s not official or anything. Just tell your friends. #SlowDown #BuckleUp #PleaseTryNotToCrash------❄️--❄️------
— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice)
March 3, 2019 State Police also sent out another tweet with an image of the crash saying, "When will this stop? Our 11th squad car has been struck since January 1, 2019. That’s approximately one every 5.5 days."
When will this stop?Our 11th squad car has been struck since January 1, 2019.That’s approximately one every 5.5 days. #MoveOver #SlowDown pic.twitter.com/nRg3mMer0r
— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice)
March 3, 2019 Sgt. Delila Garcia said so far this year on average, one state police vehicle has been hit every five-and-a-half days.
In one case, on Jan. 12, 34-year-old trooper Christopher Lambert was hit and killed while assisting motorists involved in a crash on I-294.
“If you see an emergency vehicle with its lights on, activated, whether they’re handling a crash on the shoulder or assisting a disabled vehicle in the lane of traffic or making an arrest, slow down or move over, if possible,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Douglas County south of Champaign, one motorist got two tickets on Sunday for the same violation—not moving over or slowing down for a vehicle on the side of the road—seven miles apart.
How do you get TWO tickets:➡️for the SAME violation➡️in the SAME night➡️on the SAME interstate➡️by the SAME Trooper➡️but in two DIFFERENT locations??.....➡️➡️➡️➡️ by failing to #moveover or #slowdown for TWO ---- DIFFERENT squad cars SEVEN miles apart. pic.twitter.com/aBeCwvvr7P
— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice)
March 4, 2019 Sgt. Garcia said the motorist allegedly whizzed past a trooper on the side of the road. The trooper went after him and spotted the motorist do the same thing to another trooper.
Illinois law requires motorists to slow down or move over for any vehicle with its lights flashing on the side of the road, whether it's an emergency response vehicle or a private vehicle.
