3 years after son was struck and killed, Waukegan, Illinois family says ambulance safety law isn't followed
A family from Waukegan, Illinois does not want the same tragedy they have faced to happen to anyone else — three years after their son was hit and killed by an ambulance that went through a stop sign with no emergency lights or siren on.
They helped spark a new traffic law in Illinois, but now they are concerned that the law is not being followed or enforced.
Satrese Stallworth has fought tooth and nail to get the justice she feels her son, Donald "DJ" Stallworth III, deserves. But three years later, she said she is not seeing the results.
"I started working on getting that law passed so no one else would have to go through that," said Satrese Stallworth.
The fatal incident happened at the intersection of Lake and Genesee streets in Waukegan on May 16, 2022.
DJ Stallworth's family said he was crossing on his motorcycle when a Waukegan Fire Department ambulance went through a stop sign with no siren on during a transport.
The 23-year-old was killed.
"We got this law changed to save a family from going through what we're going through," said Satrese Stallwroth.
DJ Stallworth's family worked with lawmakers in Springfield to pass SB1251, the Donald (DJ) Stallworth III Act. It requires EMTs to go through extensive training and to use lights and sirens when transporting a patient.
"Nobody is doing the training, evidently," said Antoinette Stallworth.
At a Tuesday night Waukegan City Council meeting, an attorney and members of the Stallworth family spoke in front of officials to say a year after the law went into effect, it is not being followed.
"I have watched Waukegan Fire Department go through intersections without having sirens on," said DJ Stallworth's sister, Antoinette Dedrick. "It's a total disrespect."
"That is such a slap to the face to the family," added Satrese Stallworth.
In an email, the City of Waukegan says its EMTs are trained under SB1251. But the Stallworths say they are not seeing it implemented back home, and possibly in other cities in Illinois.
"Waukegan should have it perfected!" Satrese Stallworth said at the Waukegan City Council meeting.
The Stallworths say they have a scholarship fund in DJ's name, and are working to get a monument at a local park. They also already settled a lawsuit with the city.
