Trooper Injured
Badly burned, he is currently in a medically induced coma:
- The accident happened around 9:45 p.m. Monday about a quarter-mile east of Eola Road, state police said. The disabled semi was pulled over onto the right lane of traffic and the shoulder, and the tollway truck and the trooper's car were behind it.
The state police car's lights were flashing, and an illuminated arrow on the back of the truck was lit and directing traffic away from the semi, officials said.
Petrella and the trooper were helping the driver of the disabled semi when another semi hit the trooper's car, Petrella's truck and the stalled semi, according to state police. All three vehicles exploded in flame.
Prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery to our ISP brother.
Labels: officer injured
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
46 Comments:
Get well my brother...
Get well soon brother or sister. The CPD has your back! At least I do when you roll through 022 on midnights.
What the hell. Too many stupid sonofabitches on the road.
I will pray for you every night....CPD RET.
Speedy recovery trooper.
My prayers are being sent this Trooper's way. But, let us also pray for the tollway worker who was assisting him. He died helping someone in need and doing a job he loved. His family, friends & loved ones need our prayers at this time as well. Vincent Petrella, may he rest is peace.
Inevitably, someone posts on this type of thread how terrible it is that we aren't responding 'enough'. They'll say there are more posts about something stupid, something unimportant, and complain the numbers aren't high enough for their liking.
What non-police don't understand is how painful it is for us that this has happened to one of us. It takes your knees out from under you and it sucks the air from your lungs. We HATE it. We (though we won't admit it) fear it. It brings home to every one of us that it could have been any one of us. It is humbling and it is devastating.
So, though there aren't 'enough' responses here to please those who have no idea what it means to be the police, there is ample response in our hearts, where it counts. (And in our prayers, where it might help the most.)
Get well, trooper. Really well. Heal, and recover, and bask in the love of your family and friends during your recuperation.
I worked in 005, 007, and finished in Traffic Enforcement. By far, the most dangerous place I worked was on LSD and the Chicago Skyway.
Very few drivers pull over a lane for emergency on the shoulder.
When I do it, the drivers behind me see it as permission to pass me on the right.
And truckers? They used to be kings of the road -- competent, polite, safe. Now many are the most dangerous drivers.
Thank you RINO George Ryan for handing out all those CDLs to anyone with a few bucks.
This should have never happened. These asshole truckers are a real danger to everyone who drives the expressways especially in the winter where they disregard the weather. The speed limit for trucks should be 50 and jerk offs like this guy who are caught driving beyond the allotted daily hours should have their licenses suspended for a first time violation. Get well soon Trooper and RIP Vincent Patrella.
Yikes... Best wishes for a speedy recovery for the Trooper... Hope the driver that caused this goes to jail if it was negligent (let's say that it's possible that MAYBE it wasn't, just so we're not flying off the handle prematurely).
In the future - what could help to further protect the highway workers - flares in the lane for 500'? Or are some drivers just so fucked up that nothing would help?
In the last 6 months alone I have personally observed ISP troopers on the side of the road, jack in hand changing citizens flat tires on three ocassions. Ditto for the IDOT and tollway workers too.. Scott's law(CFD Lt killed roadside), should have more teeth. Families need to go after trucking company, owners and any other idiots who don't slow down and move over for emergency lights. 5000lbs cars and 40000lbs trucks are weapons, plain and simple.
Prayers go out for you and your family.
Let's not forget the State Highway worker. These brave men and women are out here 24/7 helping whomever needs it and it is a very risky business. These folks are part of our team, and the loss of a father and husband is a loss for all of us. These nameless faceless people have our backs, and this one paid the ultimate price in the service of strangers.May he rest in peace.
get well sir,from a firefighter.
Praying for your healing Trooper.
Please get well soon.
Ret. CPD
Prayers are with you brother. Stay strong.
....and reduce the speed limits to something more sensible where drivers actually follow the Speed Limit.
Pinch me-I'm dreaming....
But why is it, manufactureres build cars that will easily do 150+ miles per hour right off the showroom floor and the GOVERNMANT hasn't gone after them yet.
Of course factor in higher speeds equals more gas consumption which means more tax money-not that they will use it to fund our Pensions or anything logical.
Godspeed the tragic loss of the Tollway worker and recovery of the ISP Trooper.
Above two Posts beautifully put. I will Pray for both Men and their families. GOD Bless.
Saying prayers trooper you have a rough job the highways are getting worse God Speed on your recovery.
The problem is MADD (Mothers against drunk drivers) and the war on drugs. Those two "wars" have been so focused on breathalyzer and drug testing that "impairment testing" has never happened.
There are far too many impaired drivers (hungover, sleepy, cold/flu sufferers, etc.) that should not be on the road. And they are far more dangerous than a guy who had a couple beers with dinner.
My dad was a CPD traffic sergeant for many years, helped lots of people. We heard about many fatals through those years. We were always blessed when he came home after each shift. God bless the injured and the deceased, and many many prayers for their families. I agree with the post above. No one really knows what it is like to be the police, or the family of those who serve. It is however an amazing brotherhood. I'm sure prayers are being said by many for all involved.
Speedy recovery trooper Many prayers and good wishes send your way.
Sincere condolences to the Toll worker's family and friends. RIP
God Bless both of these wonderful men.
Be safe out there!
NAC
My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Vincent Petrella. He was a father of two children.
I also wish the injured State Trooper Douglas J. Balder a speedy recovery from his injuries.
Agreed and prayers for the family of Mr. Petrella and well wishes for the Trooper. Of course the truck driver is in a similar position as the driver from Trooper Sauter's crash, over his hours of service, no rest, missing paperwork...I hope he gets hammered by the SA.
I am the police and also drive big trucks, I can't imagine how or why we have so so many unqualified truck drivers on the road, you would have thought that the Ryan Scandle would have slowed it down, but the Secretary of State grants 3rd party examiner rights to a lot of these fly by night driving schools. these schools also get grant money for certain students who can"t even speak English, I personally have witnessed these immigrant drivers try to ask for directions or carry on a conversation and it is pathetic. Many of the drivers on the road are independent owners and don't follow the rules. I work for a large carrier who enforce the work rules and won't allow you to run out of hours. Please say a prayer for all of our brothers who work these lonely and dangerous highways, PS. try to make it a point to observe them when you see them on the highways with a car stopped wether you are on or off duty.
I wish the trooper a speedy recovery. If anyone can bounce back from this it's ISP. God Bless.
CPD 025
Best wishes to the trooper....and to the IDOT guy......
Families will remain in my prayers....
The driver worked 36 hours, only 3 hours of sleep, wtf.
Best wishes to all involved.
my prayers are with both families and to isp you guys rock
My prayers to all State Troopers, I will always be grateful for coming to my rescue many years ago in DuPage.
My prayers to your family and for you speedy recovery!
Enough of this nonsense with truckers. The companies these truckers work for, need to be held accountable for violating the rules.
The Teacher
Thanks for your support
ISP Troop
Is there a necessity for blood ? Anything the ISP needs that we can assist with ?
There's a reason why convicted felons aren't allowed to legally possess a firearm. They've demonstrated poor decision making. So why the fuck should a piece of shit like this asshole who has a lengthy rap sheet and others like him be allowed to get a CDL and get behind the wheel of a 20-30 ton missile??? This asshole's decision to drive 36 hrs with only 3 1/2 hours of sleep cost one man his life and nearly killed another.
Retired CPD PO here. T?he ISP always treated me with courtesy, respect and the utmost professionalism. An ISP got me speeding in the hills around Galena on my motorcycle. He and a county sheriff deputy stopped me and my buddies.
Sheriff wanted to write everyone a pile of tickets. State Police guy stood up and flat out cut me loose and gave my buddies (not LEO) a stern lecture. Sheriff deferred to the ISP. I never had contact with a bad one, I always did my best to back them up, the Kennedy ran through my district and they brought in people to use my station and lockup. They did all this shit alone, no two man cars for them.
ISP is OK by me and not just for the breaks they gave me. Good people. I hope their guy recovers and gets back to work soon.
Great commits above and thank you gentleman for thinking of our brother.
We need some prayers please. He still in a medically induced coma and has surgery today.
Road Troop
Hope you get better soon buddy...thanks for all you do ISP....
RIP to the tollway worker. Prayers to the family.
Get well wishes to the trooper, you too, are in my prayers.
Anybody know how the surgery went?
My dad was a CPD traffic sergeant for many years, helped lots of people.... We were always blessed when he came home after each shift.
Enough said right there...
"There's a reason why convicted felons aren't allowed to legally possess a firearm. They've demonstrated poor decision making."
1/29/2014 10:34:00 PM
Is it "poor decision making" when someone with no priors -- and loaded guns safely kept for protection for over thirty years -- leaves the gun right where it is and instead strikes someone with his hand during an unbearable domestic, desperately trying to stop stupidity and self-destructive behavior that is tearing the family apart?
Well, yes -- but it ain't murder, as happens in so many homes for any reason or no reason at all.
It's easy on a good day. Leaving the gun alone when one is exhausted, upset, and flat-out enraged is the real acid test of maturity -- as is holding one's fire during repeat attempt home invasions when the intruder was driven off with a verbal warning.
This policy needs to be looked at more closely.
Quite some years ago, an IDOT Minuteman got me out of a bad spot. As I got out of his truck, I noticed his hard hat on the seat, with his last name on it.
A month later, I was reading the paper at lunch -- and came across a short item that a Minuteman had just been killed while helping someone else. I saw the name and just went cold. I was just a kid and this really brought home to me what "duty" and "sacrifice" meant.
God's blessings and best wishes to IDOT guys and ISP in this time of tragedy. Stay safe, all of you.
Please keep both families in your prayers guys. We appreciate it. I worked next to Doug for several years and I worked with Vinny. Vinny was one of the best men I've ever met. He was an all around good guy, better than me.
ISP Troop
My families prayers and condolences to the family of the IDOT worker Petrella.
And many more prayers to and for the ISP Trooper Balder and his family. I can only say that I do know the hurt. He will be remembered at the CPD mass this coming Sunday.
Anonymous said...
Is there a necessity for blood ? Anything the ISP needs that we can assist with ?
1/29/2014 08:49:00 PM
Please give blood! Let's just say Doug has a long road. I wish I could say more. It's touch and go.
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