Illinois lowers flags to honor killed Trooper Chris Lambert

By Ray Hanania

Newly sworn-in Governor J.B. Pritzker ordered all flags to be flown at half-mast beginning sunrise on Wednesday Jan. 16 through sunset on Friday Jan. 18 to honor slam Illinois State Trooper Christopher Lambert.

Lambert was killed when a driver hit him while responding to a crash that occurred near Willow Road on I-294 on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019.

Lambert was returning to his home in Highland Park and pulled over at around 4:30 pm at the scene of a three-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes on the Tri-State Expressway (I-294) near Willow Road when he was then struck by another northbound vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Lambert pulled over and has been cooperating with police. The death is being viewed as an accident.

Illinois State Police Badge https://www.isp.state.il.us/

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who was sworn into office on Monday Jan. 14, 2019, ordered the flags to eb flown at half-mast as a tribute to Lambert, how as 34.

The State Police issued the following statement in response to Lambert’s death:

This afternoon, January 12, 2019, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Trooper Christopher Lambert #6527, was on scene of a three-vehicle traffic crash, in the left lane on I-294 near Willow Road. While handling that crash another vehicle in traffic failed to stop and struck Trooper Lambert while he was outside of his patrol car. Trooper Lambert sustained serious injuries as a result the crash and was given CPR by an off duty nurse, before being transported to Glenbrook Hospital. At approximately 7:24 p.m., Trooper Lambert succumbed to his injuries.

“Trooper Lambert was a great trooper and was respected by those within and from outside the ISP, this is a tremendous loss which could have been prevented and should have never happened,” said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Trooper Lambert deliberately placed his vehicle in a position to protect the lives of the victims of the previous crash, and took on the danger himself. He will be remembered for his dedication to the Illinois State Police and for giving the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve the citizens of Illinois.”

Trooper Lambert was a five year veteran of the Illinois State Police District 15 in Downers Grove and was assigned to the Criminal Patrol Team. Trooper Lambert was also a prior member of the United States Army.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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