Lawsuit Filed After Illinois Trooper’s Death

An attorney has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the widow of an Illinois State Police trooper who was killed in a tractor-trailer crash.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Swansea attorney Thomas Keefe filed the lawsuit on behalf of Trooper Kyle Deatherage’s wife, Sarah Deatherage. Kyle Deatherage died Nov. 26 when a Georgia trucker lost consciousness and his tractor-trailer struck and killed the trooper.

The lawsuit was filed against trucking company DOT Foods Inc. and the truck driver. DOT Foods Inc. corporate counsel Jim Tracy said the firm had not yet seen the lawsuit and had no comment.

Authorities say the 32-year-old Deatherage was working a traffic stop when he was hit by a passing truck. Deatherage died at the scene.