U.S. 67 was closed this morning after an Illinois State Trooper was injured in a two-vehicle accident. WGEM in Quincy reports that a white Chevy passenger car turned in front of an Illinois State Police SUV at approximately 8:20 last night at the intersection of U.S. 67 and Illinois Route 103 in Schuyler County. WGEM says that ISP Sergeant Andrew Stambaugh said that an ISP reconstruction team was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash. Stambaugh says that citations are pending.
Multiple first responder agencies in Schuyler County responded to the scene and helped law enforcement with its investigation. Stambaugh says the Illinois State Police trooper involved was taken from the scene by EMS to a local hospital with serious injuries and that 2 individuals in the passenger vehicle refused treatment at the scene. A tow truck was called to the scene to pull the ISP squad car out of a wooded area, off the road. Officials told WGEM both vehicles were totaled.
U.S. 67 was blocked off while crews investigated the scene. The road has since been reopened.
UPDATE: The Illinois State Police has released more information in regards to the crash last night in Schuyler County involving an ISP Trooper.
A preliminary investigation report from the Illinois State Police indicates the following occurred: A 2017 White Chevy passenger vehicle was traveling northbound on US 67 approximately ½ mile north of Bluff Road in the third right lane – or “slow” lane – traveling up the 3-lane hill. The driver of the Illinois State Police vehicle was also traveling northbound at the same location but driving in the regular driving lane. The White Chevy turned into the path of the 2018 White Ford Police SUV, and the SUV lost control, left the roadway and overturned in a ravine. The roadway was closed from 8:20Pm last night until approximately 2:21 this morning.
The driver of the Chevy, 33 year old Joel Garcia-Martinez of Beardstown has not yet been cited. Citations are pending further investigation. Garcia-Martinez and his passenger 33 year old Salvador Ayala-Morales of Beardstown refused EMS treatment at the scene. The ISP trooper only identified as a 27 year old male of Pittsfield, was taken to an unidentified area hospital via EMS for serious injuries.