Elgin driver strikes stopped state police cruiser on I-90

An Elgin man driving under the influence early Saturday morning on eastbound Interstate 90 crashed his car into a stopped Illinois State Police cruiser, officials said. The officer inside the cruiser was uninjured.

Martin A. Estanez Landa, 26, is charged with aggravated driving under the influence, reckless driving, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, not having a valid driver's license and improper lane usage, according to a news release.

Landa also was charged with violating Scott's Law, the state law intended to protect emergency personnel from motorists at emergency scenes - named after Chicago Fire Lieutenant Scott Gillen who was struck and killed in December of 2000.

Authorities said the police officer had parked his cruiser, which was flashing its emergency lights, on the left shoulder of eastbound I-90 just east of Route 53 behind a stolen car that had been abandoned.

Landa, who was driving a gray Honda, failed to slow down and move over and struck the rear of the police cruiser. The force of the crash sent the police cruiser into the abandoned stolen vehicle, the release said.

Landa and the passenger in his car were taken to a hospital for nonlife threatening injuries, the release said.

The crash marked the 20th time this year that an state police cruiser was struck by a driver who violated Scott's Law, the release said.

"These crashes are completely preventable," Illinois State Police District 15 Commander Jason Bradley said. "Always move over when you approach a stationary vehicle on the side of the road."