ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A trio of Scott’s Law-related accidents in a short period of time has law enforcement officials asking motorists to slow down and move over when flashing lights are ahead.
“This could have been a life or death situation and for again a couple of state troopers that has been,” Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said.
“There’s no reason that these types of crashes should occur if everyone is doing their job when they’re out there driving,” Illinois State Police Colonel David Byrd said.
21 years ago a firefighter from Chicago was struck and killed, his name was Scott Gillen, his death inspired lawmakers to protect people on the side of the road.
“I was a supervisor on the scene of that on that night when Lieutenant Gillen was killed,” Byrd said. “21 years later I’m still looking at the same problem.”
In 2019 the Illinois State Police reported 27 squad cars struck in Scott’s Law-related accidents, two of those incidents resulted in a trooper death. In the first month and a half of 2021, there have been 10 accidents and six of them sent troopers to the hospital.
“Unfortunately we have an Illinois State Trooper fighting for his life in a hospital right now due to the negligence of a motorist,” Byrd said.
One of those accidents happened in Winnebago County, Caruana says drivers need to focus on the task at hand.
“People aren’t paying attention hopefully not impaired driving but there’s some impaired driving going on,” Caruana said. “I think it’s just people don’t really care.”
Byrd says he knows what it’s like to be on the side of the road with vehicles flying by, and doesn’t want other officers to be at risk when they make a stop.
“I’ve been struck by a DUI driver on a traffic stop in the early 90′s I survived that,” Byrd said
Byrd says the trooper in the hospital is in serious condition.
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February 18, 2021 at 10:04AM
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Illinois State Police see three Scott's Law accidents in 24 hour period - WIFR
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