A state trooper was struck so hard by a speeding automobile lastfall that his body was knocked 35 feet into the air, a witnesstestified yesterday in a Wheaton murder trial.
"He (Trooper John H. Kugelman) looked like a rag doll comingdown," said restaurateur Samuel Tolub, 41, who witnessed theincident. "He looked like a paratrooper in free fall."
The testimony came in the trial of David S. Melind, 18, of ElkGrove Village, who is charged with murder and reckless homicide.
Kugelman, 27, was killed in the accident that occurred Nov. 10near Itasca, on the shoulder of southbound Illinois 53 near theIrving Park Road overpass.
Kugelman had set up a roadblock to stop Melind, who was fleeingafter a speeding offense in Hoffman Estates. Melind knew he would bereturned to Valley View Youth Center if he was caught.
Melind's auto was going about 80 m.p.h. when it bypassed theroadblock and struck Kugelman, testimony showed. Kugelman wasstanding on the shoulder with his gun pointed at the oncoming car,but he never fired, witnesses said.
"(Melind) never stopped," Brian F. Telander, chief Du PageCounty criminal prosecutor, said in opening arguments yesterday."(He) chose to run directly into the trooper."
Wesley M. Schulz, a Hoffman Estates police officer, said Melindnever braked, swerved or slowed.
"The next thing I saw was the windshield of (Melind's) carshatter," Schulz testified. "I saw debris fly in all directions. Isaw (Kugelman's) body vaulted up into the air, turning over and overand over."
Defense attorney James Tatooles said Kugelman should not havestationed himself unprotected on the roadway's shoulder and Melinddid not have time to avoid him.
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