Police officer hospitalized after driver crashes into stationary squad car on I-55

Illinois State Police
An image shared by Illinois State Police shows the aftermath of an accident Monday morning, in which the driver of a Nissan Altima collided with a stationary state police squad car. Photo credit Illinois State Police

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — An Illinois State Police Trooper is recovering from injuries suffered in a crash Monday morning in Will County.

State police said it happened around 7:45 a.m. on northbound Interstate 55 at Route 59.

The state trooper was helping to investigate an earlier crash with their emergency lights activated, but authorities said a silver 2018 Nissan Altima failed to yield and struck the left-rear side of the squad car.

Both the trooper and a K9 were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.

The trooper was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the K9 was uninjured, officials said.

Tanner Poppenhager, a 24-year-old from Beardstown, Ill., was issued a Scott’s Law citation for failing to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle.

So far in 2023, Illinois State Police said it has had six Move Over law-related crashes. Over the entire course of 2022, state police said they had 23 such crashes, in which eight troopers were injured.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Illinois State Police