Illinois Valley Times

Liz Bishop, the Republican nominee for the Illinois State House District 76 seat, expressed her condolences over the tragic loss of a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy in a Facebook post on Friday. Bishop, who recently defeated a challenger in the primary election, is set to face Democrat Amy Murri Briel in the upcoming general election.

"ast night we lost a dedicated guardian of our community, Deputy Christina Musil of the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, Illinois, in a tragic traffic accident while she was on duty," said Bishop, Canddiate, according to Facebook. "The loss of such a brave and committed young deputy and military veteran whose dedication to serving and protecting our community was unwavering is profound. Heartfelt sympathies to Christina's family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Let us honor her memory by coming together as a community to support one another and continue her legacy of service."

According to Shaw Local, Deputy Musil's vehicle was rear-ended by a commercial truck while she was on duty for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. The incident took place around 10:39 p.m., when a single-unit Kenworth truck veered off Route 23 and collided with Musil’s parked car. Musil was rushed to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries but later succumbed to them at the hospital. The identity of the truck driver remains undisclosed as investigations by the Illinois State Police and the DeKalb County Coroner’s office continue.

Screenshot of Liz Bishop's March 29 Facebook post | Liz Bishop for State Representative Facebook page

ABC7 reported that Musil had been serving in the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for five years and had previously served four years in the Army National Guard. She held the position of a military police officer and had served in Afghanistan between 2008-2009.

Shaw Local further highlighted that there has been longstanding scrutiny over safety issues at an intersection north of where Musil's fatal crash occurred. This area has witnessed multiple severe traffic crashes, including one that claimed the lives of a 22-year-old woman and three others in November 2023; another incident required two victims to be extricated from their vehicles and transported to a hospital following a two-vehicle crash in March 2018. As part of safety improvements, Nathan Schwartz, DeKalb County engineer, informed earlier this year that Route 23 and Perry Road intersection would receive updated safety features such as flashing red lights on stop signs and flashing yellow lights on "intersection ahead" signs.

Bishop hails from Peru, Illinois, and serves as a Deputy State Central Committeewoman for the Illinois GOP. As per her campaign website’s "about" page, Bishop's political focus is rooted in responsive leadership, fiscal responsibility, and advocacy for lower taxes. She pledges to be a representative who resonates with the aspirations and needs of her constituents, advocating for policies that emphasize financial prudence to steer the state towards stability and growth. Bishop also commits to working towards reducing property taxes and controlling the cost of living.