MACOMB, Ill. — One family is marking four years since the death of an Illinois State Police (ISP) Trooper from western Illinois.
ISP Trooper Jerry Ellis, 36, was one of three troopers killed in the line of duty in 2019 due to a crash.
"It still feels like yesterday," Jerry's brother Keith Ellis said. "I can still recall everything the day it happened."
He was from the Macomb area and graduated from Western Illinois University.
"Jerry was a caring and loving man," Keith said. "He would do anything for anybody. He put himself in harm's way to save someone else. That basically sums Jerry up."
Authorities said Jerry died after he hit a wrong-way driver that was under the influence off I-94 in Lake County near Chicago.
Officials said his actions saved a family traveling behind him.
"People need to start thinking about others, besides their selves," Keith said. "They need to think about the other people on the road. They need to take the time to think about being responsibility instead of just thinking about me at the time."
The wrong-way driver also died in the crash. Police said the man was twice the legal limit of alcohol and had no license or insurance.
"How are we getting accuracy," Keith said. "I think we need some tools to get more breathalyzers that can go in squad cars. They're expensive, but I propose ideas how to get this. Add another fee into the DUI's to help cover the costs of these tools so we can get them in rural counties and get a more accurate and true idea."
A highway near where the incident happened and a park in Trooper Ellis' hometown of Colchester is dedicated in his name.