U.S. Representative Mary Miller expressed sympathy for the friends and family of a fallen Illinois State Police Trooper in an October 21 Facebook post, stating, “May God watch over them and the ISP as they mourn this terrible loss.”
“Please join Chris and me in praying for the family and friends of Illinois State Trooper Corey Thompsen,” said Miller, according to Facebook. “May God watch over them and the ISP as they mourn this terrible loss.”
According to a State-Journal Register article shared by Miller, Illinois State Trooper Corey Thompsen was struck at the intersection of Leverett Road in Champaign County on October 18 while finishing a traffic enforcement detail as part of a motorcycle patrol. Thompsen, aged 28, had served with the Illinois State Police (ISP) for nearly five years. Following the accident, a witness provided first aid before he was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 4:30 p.m.
The driver involved in the incident, Helen Torres, was cited for failure to yield right of way at a stop intersection and not having a valid driver’s license, which had expired less than a year ago.
Thompsen was honored in a police procession from Urbana to St. Joseph on Monday, October 21. According to WCIA reports, law enforcement officers participated alongside community members who came out to pay their respects as his body was transported to Freese Funeral Home in St. Joseph.
“This is a sad moment. We are hurting,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly in an October 19 report from ABC7. Kelly continued by expressing that Corey’s colleagues across various units within ISP are also grieving deeply. He added that Thompsen’s family is experiencing profound sorrow following his death.
The report also mentioned that Thompsen is survived by his wife Chelsea; his parents Susan and Steve; and his brothers.
Mary Miller currently serves in the U.S. Congress representing Illinois’ 15th district after replacing John Shimkus in 2021. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, she graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and resides in Oakland with her family.
