‘He is someone’s family’: Woman stops to help man running through Illinois highway traffic with knife

A woman stopped along Interstate 74 in East Peoria, Illinois, after spotting a man running into oncoming traffic Tuesday evening. She didn’t realize he was reportedly carrying a knife until after she pulled over. Video of the incident shows the man repeatedly falling and approaching moving vehicles as drivers attempt to avoid him.

The October 20 incident occurred during the evening commute. In a Facebook post, Central Illinois Wildlife Removal shared the footage and claimed the man chased a passerby back to their vehicle after they stopped to help. The account also reported that East Peoria police eventually took him into custody without anyone getting hurt.

As the video circulated, a woman identifying herself as the person who stopped explained why she approached the situation despite the danger. The man’s relatives also joined the discussion, revealing that he is receiving treatment at a hospital.

Woman who stopped to help hears from the man’s family

The footage shows the man running along the interstate median before entering traffic, repeatedly losing his footing and getting back up. Drivers appear to maneuver around him as he approaches moving vehicles. Central Illinois Wildlife Removal claimed he was carrying a knife and chased someone back toward their vehicle after they stopped to help.

In the Facebook comments, Bobbie Jo Kadavi identified herself as the driver who stopped. She said she hadn’t noticed the knife but feared the man would be struck by an approaching vehicle. “I did see a human in some kind of crisis or emotional distress who was about to be pulverized by oncoming traffic,” she wrote.

Kadavi said she called emergency services and honked her horn to warn nearby drivers. She also worried that someone swerving to avoid him could trigger a pileup involving several vehicles. Despite criticism from commenters who questioned why she approached someone reportedly carrying a weapon, Kadavi explained her decision in four words. “He is someone’s family.”

That family eventually joined the comment section. Jennifer Hones, who identified herself as the man’s mother, responded directly to Kadavi. “Thank you… that’s my son [and] he is in the hospital now,” she wrote.

Another commenter, Becca Cooper, identified herself as his sister-in-law and disputed speculation about his personal circumstances. Cooper said he had been struggling for some time and was already seeking help. Before the incident, he reportedly told relatives he was walking to a gas station.

“Something happened that wasn’t in our control,” Cooper wrote. She confirmed that he was receiving hospital care but didn’t explain what caused Tuesday’s incident.

Could drivers have faced charges if they hit him?

One wrong move could have sent a passing driver into the man or another vehicle. The footage shows him repeatedly falling near moving traffic, then getting back up and approaching cars. With little warning about where he might go next, motorists had to react quickly to avoid a collision.

But what if the driver couldn’t avoid him? Under Illinois law, drivers must exercise reasonable care to avoid pedestrians, including those who appear confused or incapacitated. However, hitting someone who unexpectedly enters the road doesn’t automatically mean the driver committed a crime.

For prosecutors to pursue reckless homicide charges, they would need evidence that the driver’s reckless actions caused the person’s death. Investigators would consider whether the driver was speeding, had an opportunity to brake, or could reasonably have anticipated someone entering traffic. A pedestrian’s sudden movement would matter, but it wouldn’t automatically absolve a driver of responsibility.

That uncertainty helps explain Kadavi’s concern about a possible pileup. She wasn’t only worried that the man would be struck. A motorist swerving into another lane could have put several other people in danger, even if they avoided hitting him.

Fortunately, the account that shared the footage reported that East Peoria police intervened before anyone suffered injuries. The man’s relatives said he was receiving hospital treatment, although police had not independently confirmed the circumstances of the incident or whether anyone faced charges.

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