Trooper Todd Hanneken’s nickname was Happy.

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On Thursday, March 25, Illinois State Police, District 10 Trooper Todd Hanneken passed away following a single-car traffic crash while on duty. Trooper Hanneken, of Long Creek, was driving west on Illinois 10 in Bondville about 10:40 a.m. March 25. He was not responding to any call but was several hours into his 6 a.m.-to-4 p.m. shift. Two hours earlier, he had been texting his wife, Shelley, about issues with her Jeep.

He drove his Ford Explorer squad vehicle across the eastbound lane, into the south grassy ditch, then across a driveway. The SUV kept going west and hit a utility pole, breaking it, then crossed two more driveways before running into a large tree in the yard of a home in the 500 block of County Road 1600 North (Illinois 10), where it stopped.

The crash occurred approximately at 10:42 a.m. Trooper Hanneken was extracted from his vehicle and taken by Airlife to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Medical professionals attempted life saving measures, but Hanneken succumbed to his injuries an hour following the crash.

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Trooper Hanneken was 45 years old and a 20-year veteran of the Illinois State Police. He is
survived by his wife Shelley, his two sons, Ben and Nick, his brother Chad, his mother Vickie and
father, retired Illinois State Police Trooper Jerry Hanneken.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hanneken family and the Illinois State Police.

To donate in memory of Trooper Hanneken, please visit our Fallen Heroes Donation page.