State trooper still hospitalized after I-55 crash

An Illinois State Police trooper remains hospitalized after he suffered serious brain injuries when his squad vehicle was rear-ended by another motorist on Interstate 55 in Joliet.

Trooper Brian Frank was airlifted to a hospital following the Feb. 15 crash and there was an “immense amount of swelling to the head, which was responded to immediately with surgery upon arrival at hospital,” according to a GoFundMe set up for Frank and his wife, Lauren Frank.

The GoFundMe, named “Brian Frank Strong,” has a $100,000 fundraising goal and raised $72,465 as of Tuesday afternoon.

“I ran cross country with Brian in high school. His grit, work ethic, and humility inspired everyone around him, including myself,” said Edward Hoholik, the GoFundMe’s organizer.

The crash involving Frank was one of two incidents in two days in which a motorist struck a squad car in Will County and injured troopers.

The other incident occurred on Feb. 16 when Michael Ryan, 43, of Joliet, struck a stationary squad car positioned behind a crash scene at the section of I-80 that crosses over I-55, Illinois State Police said. The trooper suffered injures that were not life threatening and was released from the hospital, police said.

No charges appear to have been filed in Will County Court against Ryan or Angel Casillas, 20, of Joliet, the driver who allegedly rear-ended Frank’s squad car when it was parked with emergency lights flashing at the scene of a wreck on I-55 near Route 30, according to state police.

Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney did not have information Tuesday on whether either man would eventually face charges.

When asked about the charges, Trooper Jayme Bufford said because of an open and ongoing investigation, there were “no updates or information available.”

“Investigations take the amount of time necessary to be conducted thoroughly. There is no formal timeline that can be placed on any investigation, no matter what type, to ensure it is objective, and comprehensive,” Bufford said.

State police previously said Casillas and Ryan had been charged with violating Scott’s Law, which requires motorists approaching stationary authorized emergency vehicles proceed “with due caution” and either change lanes or reduce speed.

The offense is punishable by a fine but it can be upgraded to a misdemeanor if there’s property damage or a felony if there’s injury or death. If the offense causes injury, the driver’s license will be suspended for a mandatory period of 6 months to 2 years.

So far this year, 11 squad cars were struck by motorists violating Scott’s Law, according to the Illinois State Police data. The last incident occurred on Feb. 16 in Jefferson County where a trooper’s squad car was rear-ended by another car.

Illinois State Police Director Brian Kelly said in a statement that obeying Scott’s Law is about “basic decency and respect for the very lives of the brave souls on our streets simply trying to help the public.”

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release that Scott’s Law is “critical to keeping our first responders safe as they heroically serve us on our roadways.”

“I’m praying for our Illinois State Police troopers who have been injured in the line of duty in recent days and imploring all Illinoisans to drive safely and follow the law,” Pritzker said.