Illinois State Police trooper’s vehicle struck on I-55 in Will County: cops

A Bolingbrook man was cited Thursday for violating Scott’s Law after he was accused of crashing into an Illinois State Police trooper’s squad vehicle on Interstate 55 in Will County.

Zachary Taylor, 28, of Bolingbrook, was issued citations for violating Scott’s Law for failure to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle and for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, Illinois State Police said.

Scott’s Law, also known as the Move Over Law, requires motorists approaching stationary authorized emergency vehicles – such as police squad vehicles – to proceed “with due caution” and either change lanes or reduce speed.

The law is named after Chicago Fire Department Lt. Scott Gillen, who was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver while assisting at a crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway in 2000.

The incident that led to the crash Thursday began about 5:07 p.m., when troopers investigated a two-vehicle crash involving a squad vehicle on I-55 north of Lockport Road in Will County.

A trooper was stationary in the left lane of I-55 with the squad vehicle’s emergency lights activated and performing a traffic stop on a vehicle that stopped in the left lane, police said.

A 2010 Hyundai Elantra was traveling north on I-55 and failed to yield to the stationary emergency vehicle, striking the left side of the trooper’s squad vehicle, police said.

“The trooper was inside of the squad car at the time of the crash, and there were no injuries reported as a result,” police said.

Police identified Taylor was the driver of the Hyundai Elantra.

As of Friday, Illinois State Police has had three crashes related to Scott’s Law this year.

Last year, state police had 23 crashes related to Scott’s Law in which eight troopers suffered injuries.

“[Illinois State Police are] 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,” police said.

Violators of Scott’s Law can face 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.