Illinois state trooper dies after being hit by wrong-way driver

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. -- An Illinois state trooper has died following a crash near the village of Libertyville early Saturday morning.

Trooper Gerald Ellis, 36, was on-duty in his squad car traveling home on I-94 westbound near milepost 16.75 in Green Oaks, when a wrong-way driver, who was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes, struck him head on.

Ellis was transported to a local area hospital with life threatening injuries.

At approximately 4:04 a.m. Ellis succumbed to his injuries.

"While the men and women of the Illinois State Police are still grieving our recent loss, it is with profound heartache and unfathomable sadness that we inform you of the death of another fallen trooper, Trooper Gerald Ellis, said Illinois State Police Acting Director Brendan Kelly. "Trooper Ellis laid down his life while protecting the citizens of this state. We are asking the public to respectfully give consideration to the family of Trooper Ellis and the ISP while we continue to process and work through this tragedy."

Ellis was an 11-year veteran of the Illinois State Police District 15 in Downers Grove.

This is the second crash involving a state trooper in the past three days.

At least 16 state troopers have been hit along Illinois roads so far in this year, a number that's nearly double the total of eight troopers struck in all of 2018.