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Zaydin J. Dudra

Age : 20

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 04/08/2021

Location : Illinois 48 near East 1550 North Road

City : Taylorville

County : Christian

State : Illinois

Agency : United States Capitol Police

Officer(s) :Robert Hodson

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by off-duty police vehicle crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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NARRATIVE:
On 04/08/2021 at approximately 11:04 p.m., Zaydin Jon Dudra, 20, of Taylorville was riding in a Ford Focus driven by 19-year-old Haley Anne Shoot on Illinois Route 48 near East 1550 North Road. Jade Thomas, 19, was another passenger. Off-duty Illinois Capitol Police investigator Robert Milton Hodson was driving north in a Jeep Wrangler when he attempted to pass another vehicle, crossed into their lane and struck the Ford head-on.
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Dudra and Shoot were pronounced dead at the scene. Thomas survived with life-threatening injuries that left her in a wheelchair before she eventually relearned to walk. Hodson suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
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The Illinois State Police reconstruction determined that Hodson was traveling approximately 88 mph at impact. Shoot had applied the brakes and was traveling approximately 30–35 mph. Hodson declined a breath test at the scene, and subsequent testing recorded a blood-alcohol concentration of .353 and later .299.
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Hodson was arrested after his hospital release and removed from his Capitol Police position without pay. He ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI resulting in death.
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At Hodson's sentencing, Zaydin's mother, Jessica Dudra, described her son as a protector and told the court that she believed Hodson had demonstrated no remorse. Statements from the families and surviving passenger detailed the continuing trauma caused by the deaths and Thomas's severe injuries.
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On 08/21/2023, Judge Brad Paisley sentenced Hodson to 18 years in prison, requiring him to serve 85% of the sentence, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release. Hodson continued challenging the judgment afterward, with Christian County court records showing post-trial proceedings continuing into 2026.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Robert Milton Hodson was an Illinois Secretary of State Capitol Police investigator. He was removed from duty without pay following the fatal crash and ultimately received an 18-year prison sentence for aggravated DUI resulting in the deaths of Dudra and Shoot.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://news.yahoo.com/former-capitol-police-investigator-pleads-134441663.html
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/692129
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/703227/robert-hodson-sentenced-in-two-hour-court-hearing-monday-afternoon
https://www.wandtv.com/news/former-investigator-sentenced-to-18-years-for-dui-crash-that-left-two-dead-one-injured/article_ae5a7ac8-41eb-11ee-bbd3-0bc034d60ed0.html
https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/2023/08/26/former-illinois-capitol-police-officer-going-to-jail/