March 9, 2023 An Illinois State Police trooper was injured when a Mack truck tractor hauling truck tractor units drove through construction zone barricades in Champaign County and struck the trooper’s cruiser.
Source Commercial-News, Danville, Ill. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
PESOTUM, IL—At approximately 1:59 a.m. on Wednesday, Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash involving an ISP Trooper’s squad car on Interstate 74 westbound at exit 197 in Champaign County.
At the time, an ISP trooper was stationary in the construction zone on Interstate 74 westbound at exit 197 with emergency lights activated, parked behind several construction barricades. All traffic at the time was being diverted off Interstate 74 westbound onto exit 197 for construction in the area.
A brown 2023 Mack truck tractor hauling three truck tractor units, traveling westbound, failed to follow the designated traffic diversion, drove through the barricades, struck the Exit 197 sign, and then struck the rear and driver side of the ISP squad car. The trooper was inside of the squad car at the time of the crash and was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to ISP, the driver of the Mack truck, 46-year-old Thomas Mbongo of Urbana, was issued citations for: Scott’s Law — Failure To Yield To Stationary Emergency Vehicle and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident.
So far this year, ISP had eight Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2022, ISP had 23 Move Over Law-related crashes where eight Troopers sustained injuries.
ISP is reminding the public of the requirements of the Move Over Law, otherwise known as “Scott’s Law.” When approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with their emergency or hazard lights activated, drivers are required to slow down and move over. A person who violates Scott’s Law commits a business offense and faces a fine of no less than $250 or 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.