EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Illinois State Police are investigating after one of their patrol car’s was struck while working a separate crash in East St. Louis Thursday night.
According to a release, an ISP trooper was on the shoulder of northbound Interstate 55 near East Broadway assisting a crash around 9:30 p.m. A half hour later, an individual in a truck struck the rear of the trooper’s vehicle.
The trooper was not in the vehicle when the crash occurred. Due to severe damage, the car had to be towed.
Police have issued citations for 40-year-old Omar Castillo of Alamo, Texas, for failing to comply with the Move Over Law, driving under the influence, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and improper lane usage, ISP stated.
So far this year, there have been 23 incidents involving state trooper patrol vehicle’s being hit, with 11 troopers injured.