Drunk Channahon Man Hits Illinois State Police Car On I-80: Cops

JOLIET, IL - An Illinois State Police trooper has been treated and released from a local hospital after a Channahon man suspected of drunken driving plowed into the Illinois State Police car as it was parked along westbound I-80 near Joliet conducting a traffic stop on Sunday night, authorities said.

Rodolpho Mejia, 45, of Channahon was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and given a citation for a violation of Scott's Law. The crash occurred at 6:39 p.m. near Joliet's mile marker 128.

According to police, a District 5 trooper had activated his emergency lights to pull over a 2010 Nissan Altima. The driver of the Nissan stopped his vehicle in the left lane of traffic. "The trooper then came to a complete stop and positioned his squad car directly behind the Nissan," police reports show.

The trooper remained inside his squad car and ordered the driver to pull onto the left shoulder, reports state.

"At this time, a 2014 Ford Fusion who was also traveling westbound in the left lane approached the area, failed to yield to an emergency authorized vehicle and struck the rear of the trooper's squad car."

According to police, witnesses at the scene helped the Channahon man exit his Ford Fusion before it was engulfed in flames.

The Nissan driver was taken to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries and two passengers in the Nissan were not hurt, police said.

Illinois State Police stressed that the requirements of Scott's Law, otherwise known as the More Over Law, mean that when you approach an emergency vehicle or any vehicle with its hazards on that you are required to slow down and move over and change lanes if possible.

So far in 2019, Illinois State Police has had 13 troopers struck by other vehicles, including one fatality, while "handling on-duty incidents with their emergency lights activated," Monday's press release advises.