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Wife of state trooper pleads with drivers to move over: “There’s no excuse”

Nearly two years after Illinois State Trooper Kyle Deatherage was killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 55, his family is pleading with all drivers to slow...

Nearly two years after Illinois State Trooper Kyle Deatherage was killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 55, his family is pleading with all drivers to slow down and move over.

"Still, a couple of days ago, I had a day where I just wake up... and it happens all over again. And I feel like I have to start over. To lose your husband, you not only lose your past, but you lose your future. I lost my kids' father, just by one reckless act," said Sarah Deatherage, Kyle's wife.

On November 26, 2012, Trooper Deatherage pulled over a vehicle on I-55 near Litchfield, Illinois. Police say he had activated his lights when a passing semi failed to move over to the far lane of traffic, hitting and killing Deatherage.

"There's no excuse. And it shouldn't have happened," said Sarah.

In the days since Kyle's death, Sarah says she has tried to keep anger and frustration at bay, instead, remembering the man who loved his family and his job.

"He loved what he did. It was his dream, and not a lot of people can say that they accomplished their dream. But he did," said Sarah.

A husband, brother and father, Trooper Deatherage left behind a 10-month old son and a four-year old daughter at the time of the accident. Sarah says he was an amazing dad who loved sneaking candy to the kids.

"My daughter, she still misses him so bad. We're going on almost two years since Kyle was killed, and she misses her daddy every night. It's going to be... it's been really, really hard," said Sarah.

On Thursday, Illinois State Police and the Iowa State Patrol planned increased enforcement of the Move Over Law, sometimes called Scott's Law. If a vehicle authorized to display blinking, flashing, or oscillating lights has its lights activated, any approaching vehicle on a roadway with two or more lanes dedicated to the same direction of travel must move to the lane not adjacent to the emergency or maintenance vehicle. If traffic does not allow for a lane change, the vehicle should reduce speed.

The Deatherage family hopes Kyle's life will be an additional reminder to everyone to slow down and move over when they see someone on the side of the road.

"Tomorrow's not guaranteed for any of us, and I think we all need to be reminded of that," said Sarah.

 

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