State to pay $2.5M in wrongful death suit after former ISP trooper admitted guilt for crash that killed woman

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A judge has ruled the State of Illinois will have to pay over $2.5 million to the estate of Kelly Wilson in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a deadly crash involving a former Illinois State Police trooper.

In March of 2021, a judge sentenced Jeffrey Denning, a retired Illinois State Police trooper, to 24 months of probation for his role in the 2016 crash that lead to the death of Kelly Wilson.

Trooper Denning hit Wilson's car in May 2016 as she turned onto Oakland Avenue from West Harrison Street in Decatur. The woman died from injuries sustained in the crash. Denning was responding to the shooting of an officer in Mahomet at the time of the crash.

In the summer of 2016, the Macon County Coroner's Jury ruled the crash was accidental.

According to court documents, Denning was driving at more than 100 miles per hour at the time and didn't "utilize his siren in a constant mode." They said he was at least 35 miles per hour over the speed limit and the speed was "greater than reasonable and proper with regard to the safety of persons on the roadway."

Denning plead guilty in January 2021, as part of a partial plea agreement, to a reckless conduct in court.

Denning was also sentenced to 300 hours of community service and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution fees.

Denning was the only ISP officer on patrol in Macon County the night of crash. He admitted in court that he was speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour and that he didn't have his sirens constantly going. He admitted that his excessive speed and sirens not going constantly is what lead to the result of the crash killing Kelly Wilson.

Timothy Shay, the attorney for Wilson's family, said at moment of impact Denning's squad car was traveling 88 to 90 miles-per-hour. Due to impact, Wilson's van rose into the air and rolled multiple times before landing on its top.

Wilson's parents, Leo and Kathy, filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Illinois for damages, grief and loss of income.

"I don't know how this young lady could have avoided this accident and as the judge said himself, the primary responsibility for the accident was Trooper Denning," said Shay.

Wilson's estate, managed by her parents, was awarded $2,591,761.26.

Shay told WAND News Tuesday the family is "glad for closure. This took a long time."