Crime & Safety
Crash That Killed Illinois State Trooper On Motorcycle Leads To Ticket For Truck Driver
Trooper Corey Thompsen, 28, was struck by a truck in Champaign County. The driver has been cited for expired license and failure to yield.
CHAMPAIGN, IL — A truck driver who was behind the wheel during a fatal collision with a motorcycle operated by a state trooper was ticketed over the incident, authorities said.
Trooper Corey Thompsen, 28, died Friday in an on-duty crash after nearly five years with Illinois State Police. Thompsen died after being struck by a truck at the intersection of East Leverett Road and County Road 1300 East, according to state police.
Helen Torres, 32, of Thomasboro, drove her truck into the intersection shortly before 3:45 p.m., striking Thompsen’s motorcycle, police said.
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A witness provided aid until first responders arrived and transported Thompsen to Carle Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 4:30 p.m.
Torres was cited for failure to yield at a stop intersection and driving with an expired license. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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ISP Director Brendan Kelly called Thompsen’s death a heartbreaking loss for the department and his family.
“Corey’s brothers and sisters in motor enforcement, Special Operation Group, Troop 7, patrol, the Zone, Vermilion Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and across ISP are hurting,” Kelly said. “This is the first, and I hope the last, trooper who I’ve personally administered the oath of an ISP officer to that I’ve lost in a line of duty death.”
Trooper Thompsen is survived by his wife, Chelsea, his parents, Susan and Steve, and his brothers, according to state police.
Thompsen graduated from St. Joseph-Ogden High School in St. Joseph before joining the force. He was a member of the Special Operations Group Fatal Four team and had been with ISP since 2020.
Gov. JB Pritzker ordered flags statewide to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Thompsen, stating that the trooper "should have had a long life of service ahead of him."
A procession to honor Trooper Thompsen was to take place Monday afternoon, departing from Urbana and headed to Freese Funeral Home in St. Joseph.
UPDATE: Family Of Fallen State Trooper Mourns Loss Ahead Of Funeral Services
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