The rear of an Illinois State Police squad car that was struck last Friday night on Interstate 55 at Lemont Road. The state trooper was not injured. (Photo courtesy of Illinois State Police)
Hickory Hills man arrested for hitting state trooper with vehicle
By Bob Bong
A Hickory Hills man has been charged with drunken driving after hitting a state trooper with his pickup truck while the officer was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 55 at Lemont Road.
Porfirio Alverez Jr., 34, was arrested after he struck a State Police cruiser last Friday.
Police said the State Police sergeant was inside his parked police vehicle with the emergency lights active at 8:42 p.m. April 15 when a Dodge Ram traveling northbound on Interstate 55 struck the rear passenger side of the squad car.
Police said neither Alverez nor the state trooper were injured.
Alverez was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, and was cited for a violation of Scott’s Law, along with other traffic violations.
On Sunday, a Dolton woman was arrested after she rear-ended a state police squad car and injured the state trooper who was assisting a driver whose car had stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 94 at 138th Street.
Police said the trooper was helping a driver around 6:53 p.m. Sunday. Officials said the vehicle was a “fully marked squad car” with emergency lights on.
A gold Chevrolet traveling southbound on the Steel Bridge did not slow down for the emergency vehicle and veered off the roadway and onto the right shoulder, rear-ending the squad car and injuring the trooper.
The driver of the Chevrolet, 73-year-old Lillie Nelson, was charged with violating Scott’s Law in addition to improper passing of an emergency vehicle causing injury to another, operation of an uninsured vehicle causing bodily harm to another and passing a vehicle while on the shoulder of the road.
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The trooper was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
Scott’s Law requires all drivers to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle by reducing their speed and moving over. The law was named in remembrance of Lt. Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was hit and killed by a drunk driver while parked at a crash site on the Dan Ryan Expressway.
Nelson and Alverez could face a fine of up to $10,000 for violating Scott’s Law. Since the trooper was injured in the process, Nelson could also have her license suspended for up to two years, according to state law.
Illinois State Police said 10 State Police squad cars have been hit during a Scott’s Law incident this year alone. Of those crashes, five troopers have been injured. Last year, 22 Scott’s Law related crashes were recorded.
State police reminded drivers the law requires motorists to slow down in addition to moving over.
“Always drive sober, pay attention and move over when you approach a stationary vehicle on the side of the road,” said Illinois State Police Cmdr. Capt. Linda Mandat.
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