Corey S. Thompsen Obituary, Death – A driver has been cited following a tragic incident that resulted in the death of an Illinois State Police (ISP) trooper in a crash that occurred on Friday afternoon in Champaign County. ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly reported that the accident took place just before 3:45 p.m.
Trooper Corey S. Thompsen was on duty, wrapping up a traffic enforcement detail when the accident happened. He was riding his motorcycle eastbound on East Leverett Road and approaching the intersection at County Road 1300 E. Meanwhile, a truck was traveling southbound on County Road 1300 E. and came to a stop at the intersection with Leverett Road. The truck’s driver, a 32-year-old man, then pulled into the roadway, colliding with Thompsen’s motorcycle.
A witness at the scene immediately rendered aid to Thompsen until first responders arrived and transported him to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the medical facility. The truck driver was also taken to a hospital, but his injuries were not life-threatening. Following the incident, he was cited for Failure to Yield Right of Way at a Stop Intersection and for not having a valid driver’s license, which had been expired for less than a year.
Trooper Thompsen was just 28 years old and had nearly five years of service with the Illinois State Police. He was a member of the Special Operations Group Fatal Four team, which focuses on reducing fatalities on the roads. He is survived by his wife, Chelsea, as well as his mother, Susan; father, Steve; and his brothers.
“This is a sad moment for us,” Director Kelly said. “We are hurting. Corey’s brothers and sisters in motor enforcement, the Special Operations Group, Troop 7, patrol, the Zone, the Vermilion Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the entire ISP family are feeling this loss deeply.” He expressed his condolences and highlighted the impact of Thompsen’s death on both his family and the ISP community. Kelly also noted that this was the first trooper he had sworn in who died in the line of duty, making the loss even more poignant. He asked for thoughts, prayers, and goodwill for Thompsen’s family and for his fellow officers at the Illinois State Police.