Bartlett man cited in Palatine crash that injures Illinois State Police trooper

A Bartlett man was cited Wednesday after his vehicle rear-ended an Illinois State Police squad car that was pulled over on Route 53 in Palatine, injuring a trooper and another driver, authorities said.

Pierre R. Holloway, 35, is accused of violating Scott's Law and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, said Trooper Elizabeth Clausing, public information officer for the state police.

Scott's Law, also known as the "Move Over" law, requires drivers to slow down and, when possible, move over when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights. First-time violators face a fine of $250 to $10,000.

The crash took place about 9:55 a.m. Wednesday on northbound Route 53 south of Rand Road, snarling traffic for hours.

The state trooper had responded at 9:24 a.m. to a single-vehicle crash and pulled over behind the affected vehicle on the left shoulder, with the squad's emergency lights activated, Clausing said.

The trooper was sitting in the squad car doing paperwork about 30 minutes later when a gray Kia driven by Holloway crashed into the rear of the police car and then struck the front driver's side of a white Nissan that also was traveling north on Route 53.

Upon impact, the squad car slammed into the left concrete median wall. The vehicle involved in the initial crash was not affected by the second crash.

Holloway, the trooper and the driver of the Nissan were taken to hospitals with nonlife-threatening injuries, police said. The trooper later was discharged, Clausing said Wednesday evening.

"The men and women of the ISP and other emergency personnel risk their lives daily to protect the public. Please do your part by paying attention as you drive, and obey Scott's Law," Capt. Michael J. Kraft, commander of Illinois State Police District 2, said in a statement. "This crash was avoidable."