CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND)– The University of Illinois Police Department mourns the loss of a police lieutenant after he succumbed to his injuries in a vehicle-versus-motorcycle crash on Sunday.
Aaron R. Landers, 50, of Saint Joseph, Illinois, was pronounced dead at 3:11 a.m. Monday at Carle Foundation Hospital. His official cause of death was ruled as blunt force injuries sustained during the traffic accident.
According to officials, on Aug. 22, at approximately 6:08 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the intersection of Church Street and Prospect Avenue for the report of a vehicle accident with injuries.
Upon arrival, officers located Landers, who had sustained life-threatening injuries; he was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police say the preliminary investigation indicates Logan Freed, 25, was traveling westbound on Church Street when she disobeyed a traffic light, causing a collision in the intersection with another vehicle, which was traveling northbound on Prospect Avenue.
The northbound traveler was forced into the southbound lane of Prospect Avenue, causing it to strike a motorcycle, which led to the fatal injuries of Lt. Landers.
Lt. Landers served for the University of Illinois Bomb Squad and was recently appointed its commander.
In 2020, he was named as the supervisor of the department’s new Community Outreach and Support Team, which is tasked with providing educational programming for the campus community, support resources, community engagement, and mental health crisis intervention.
Landers earned several awards throughout his career, including two life-saving awards, the excellence in community policing award, and the director of public safety recognition award.
Altogether, Landers served the campus community as a police officer for 24 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Freed was cited on preliminary charges for aggravated driving under the influence and failure to have valid automobile insurance.
According to police, no other significant injuries were reported; however, five vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident or who observed the accident is asked to call the police at 217-351-4545.
Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
