Family says Waukegan not enforcing new ambulance regulations; ‘That's why my son is no longer here'

Chicago Tribune

20-02-2025

The unanimous passage of a law by all members of the Illinois General Assembly present for the vote is a rarity, and the Stallworth Act protecting people on the streets signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2023 was one of them.
Named in memory of Donald 'DJ' Stallworth III — who was struck by an ambulance on a call while riding his motorcycle in downtown Waukegan and died from his injuries — the law requires ambulances to slow at an intersection, and use its sirens and lights while going through.
Now members of Stallworth's family are concerned ambulance drivers are not being properly trained as the law requires, and police departments are not enforcing it. Waukegan is ground zero because ambulances approach from numerous towns to get to Vista Medical Center East.
'How dare you not enforce the law that has been set in place to not only continue my son's legacy, but to keep other families from experiencing the tragedy we experienced,' Stallworth's mother, Satrese, said. 'What good is the law if you're not enforcing it?'
Satrese Stallworth. accompanied by dozens of family members and friends, asked the Waukegan City Council and other officials to enforce the law during a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday at City Hall.
Along with requiring sirens and lights when an ambulance goes through an intersection, the law requires a reduction of speed from 40 to 25 mph. Stallworth said from what she is seeing around town, none of that is happening.
'Nobody's doing the training, evidently, because people are driving these ambulances and they don't know the law,' she said. 'They're going through intersections without the sirens on, and without lights on. That's why my son is no longer here.'
Antoinette Dedrick, Stallworth's older sister, said she has seen ambulances not following the law. They may reduce speed and use lights, but no sirens. People need to hear, as well as see, when an ambulance is approaching.
'We chased down the ambulance to let them know there is a law in place that required all EMTs to have sirens and lights on since January 2024,' Dedrick said. 'The police were there to let them know. We need Waukegan to do their part.'
Taking the message beyond Waukegan, Stallworth said she plans to do what she can to ensure enforcement throughout Lake County and other places, too. Ambulances from surrounding towns, as well as private carriers, transport patients to the hospital in Waukegan.
Waukegan Fire Marshall Todd Zupec said in an email Wednesday that aside from Stallworth, the department has received no complaints about noncompliance with the new law. Training began as soon as the law took effect.
'When the law passed, we assigned all personnel to read and acknowledge the new act through our training portal,' Zupec said in the email. 'That assignment was issued and completed in January 2024. It was sent out again this year for review.'
Zupec said all ambulance drivers are certified as field service operators by the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office. They are also certified for traffic incident management by the Illinois Department of Transportation. A driving competency course is given annually.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said the department does not routinely follow ambulances while on patrol. If one is observed going too fast through an interaction or not utilizing sirens or lights, they do not make an immediate traffic stop.
'We will not pull an ambulance over because it could be detrimental to the patient inside,' Chastain said. 'If an ambulance approaches, we pull over like everyone else. We will follow it.'
Should there be a violation, Chastain said a citation could be written. There will also be a report made to the appropriate municipality or private ambulance company. Fire departments generally have their own policies to follow, he said.