Illinois man sentenced to 44 years for beating state trooper during PCP

CHENOA, IL (WTVO) — An Illinois man faces the next 44 years in prison for assaulting a state trooper.

The incident occurred in May 2021, according to foxDanville’s Randy Turner was stopped while driving over 100 mph on Interstate 55 near Chenoa.

Dash cam video shows Turner tackling Illinois State Trooper Matthew Niehaus to the ground before punching him. He fractured his vertebrae in the attack.

Turner was convicted in March of disarming a peace officer and several other counts.

Authorities said Turner admitted to taking phencyclidine (PCP), a potent hallucinogen. He apologized to Niehaus in court, saying it was “out of control as it is now.”