A fatal crash has been reported in the westbound lanes of US 20 near Freeport. An Illinois State Police District 16 Trooper has died.

UPDATE: (6:00pm CDT): Authorities issue a statement on the death of Trooper Brooke Jones-Story

UPDATE: Illinois State Police has identified the name of the state trooper who died on Thursday afternoon:

 Illinois State Police (ISP) Acting Director Brendan F. Kelly regretfully announces the line-of-duty death of ISP District 16 (Pecatonica) Trooper Brooke Jones-Story.

This afternoon, March 28, 2019, at approximately 11:24 a.m., Trooper Brooke Jones-Story, #5966, was inspecting a commercial motor vehicle on United States Route 20 westbound, just west of Illinois Route 75 in Stephenson County. At approximately 12:20 p.m., Trooper Jones-Story was outside her squad car when she was struck and fatally wounded when a truck tractor semi-trailer combination struck her squad car and the semi Trooper Jones-Story was inspecting.

 

“Today is a dark day for the Illinois State Police family. This is the six-year anniversary of the death of another Trooper, and now another brave soul, Trooper Brooke Jones-Story, has made the ultimate sacrifice for people of this state. At this very moment, the men and women of the ISP are responding and focused on the job and mission, because that’s what Trooper Jones-Story would do,” stated Acting Director Kelly.

 

Trooper Jones-Story was a 12-year veteran of the Illinois State Police District 16 in Pecatonica.

Video from the scene on earlier on Thursday afternoon can be seen here.

The incident happened on US 20 near Rt. 75.

WGN-TV is reporting that "black plumes" of smoke could be seen.

The South Beloit Police Dept  on social media psoted:

The South Beloit Police Department sends our deepest sympathies for the Illinois State Police District 16 Trooper who was killed this afternoon in a crash while on a traffic stop in Stephenson County. This Trooper had assisted our Department on several incidents over the years. Please keep the Trooper's family and the Illinois State Police in your thoughts and prayers.

 

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