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Illinois woman gets 13 years for critically injuring trooper in DUI crash

Violators of Illinois’ Move Over Law can be fined $10,000 and have their driver’s license suspended for up to two years.
trooper-hit

MAYWOOD, Ill. — An Illinois woman who smashed into an Illinois State Trooper while he was dealing with another vehicle on I-294 in 2014, critically injuring him, was sentenced to 13 years in prison Thursday.

Leslie Thurow, 61, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a personal injury crash and aggravated reckless driving stemming from the Sept. 6, 2014 collision. Trooper Michael Cokins suffered critical injuries as a result. Video of the crash has been shared by Illinois State Police.

Warning: the following video contains graphic imagery

The impact of the collision hurled Cokins over the hood of the vehicle he'd pulled over, throwing him to the side of the road. He suffered 15 broken bones in the accident, requiring eight surgeries.  Thurow's car then struck an SUV further up the road, carrying a family of four. The passengers in the SUV also required hospitalization for their injuries.

According to police, Thurow's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash. She was also driving without a license, the result of a previous DUI conviction. She has spent the past two years in the custody of the Cook County Sheriff's office, awaiting trial and sentencing.

Illinois woman gets 13 years for critically injuring trooper in DUI crash

Cokins was able to return to full duty on May 1, 2016 where he continues to patrol.

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