More than 50 Illinois State Troopers packed a Skokie courtroom Tuesday for the bond hearing of 61-year-old Scott Larson--the Wisconsin man who has been charged with the death of trooper Christopher Lambert.
"We are always going to have a footprint in this courtroom while this case is on going we are doing it for the support of the family," Major David Byrd said.
On Jan. 12, prosecutors say Lambert had been heading home when he spotted an accident on a snowy I-294 in Northbrook. Prosecutors say trooper Lambert, who was in uniform, turned on his emergency lights, positioned his cruiser in the left lane and then stepped out of his vehicle.
"He’s in the shoulder lane and he’s attempting to obtain from the vehicles that had been involved in the collision," Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Andreana Turano said.
Prosecutors say Larson had been speeding in the left lane as he approached the accident scene and then suddenly changed lanes.
"He moves into the shoulder and drives in between the shoulder and that first left lane when he strikes Trooper Lambert causing his body to fly into the air," Turano said.
Larson’s attorney called what happened a tragedy and says his client has been a lifelong resident of Kenosha and works as a Certified Public Accountant and financial planner.
Five years before this latest accident, prosecutors say Larson had been convicted in Wisconsin for driving the wrong way while intoxicated.
Larson has been charged with reckless homicide of a police officer along with two counts of reckless homicide under Scott's Law which requires drivers to move over and slow down for stopped emergency vehicles.
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“If you can move over you should move over, it’s for your safety and it’s definitely for ours," Byrd said.
Larson could spend nearly 15 years in prison on the Scott's Law charge, he will be back in court at the end of next month.
