Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
A 19-year-old motorist was charged with felony reckless conduct on Sunday, after a Chicago car accident in which she is accused of hitting an Illinois State Police trooper who was conducting a traffic stop Saturday night on the Dan Ryan Expressway.
The Chicago Breaking News Center reported that the woman was charged and taken into custody following the accident.
She was expected to appear in court on Monday. The female trooper was transported to Stroger Hospital, where she underwent surgery and remained in the intensive care unit listed in stable condition.
The trooper suffered two broken legs and a broken pelvis, according to a law enforcement official. Multiple emergency vehicles responded to the crash, which occurred in the northbound expressway lanes of the Dan Ryan near 66th Street.
The state trooper, who is in her 20s, was outside her cruiser conducting a traffic stop when she was struck by a gold Toyota driven by the defendant.
As reported recently on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, Illinois motorists are required to move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicles.
Known as Scott’s Law, Illinois’ “Move Over” law, is named after Chicago Fire Department Lt. Scott Glenn, who was killed on the Dan Ryan after being struck by a drunk driver while assisting victims at a crash scene.
The law carries a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and includes aggravated circumstances, such as the involvement of drugs or alcohol, which can result in a 90-day license suspension and up to two years in prison if an accident involves injury or death.
WGN News is reporting that the cause of the accident was that the driver was on her cell phone and not paying attention at the time of the accident.