McLean County Times

Illinois state Sen. Chapin Rose said that naming a stretch of I-172 after slain Champaign Police Department Officer Chris Oberheim was "the least we could do" after Oberheim was killed in the line of duty.

"Amber - this is the least we could do to honor your husband's legacy and it was an honor and privilege to be the Senate sponsor...so glad it finally got done before the last General Assembly adjourned!" Rose said to Oberheim's wife in a Jan. 12 Facebook post. "Thank you, Amber, and your girls for all that you have done to support all our men and women in BLUE!"

Rose shared a Jan. 11 Facebook post from Amber Oberheim, who expressed her gratitude to the Illinois General Assembly for unanimously voting to rename the portion of the road after her husband, who was shot and killed responding to a domestic dispute on May 19, 2021. 

"We are pleased to share that the Illinois House & Senate have unanimously voted to name the stretch of I-72 between Decatur and Champaign 'Officer Oberheim Memorial Highway,'" Amber Oberheim said in the post. "A special thank you to State Senator Chapin Rose & Dan Caulkins Illinois State Representative for seeing this through. I remember the conversation we had at Chris's funeral…your support hasn't waivered since."

The measure to name the stretch of I-72 between Decatur and Champaign was adopted by the Illinois Senate on April 9, 2022, and adopted by the House on Jan. 10, 2023; the General Assembly's website said. State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) sponsored the measure in the House; and multiple senators sponsored it in the Senate, including Rose, Jason A. Barickman (R-Bloomington), Sally J. Turner (R-Beason) and Scott Bennett (D-Champaign).

Oberheim was shot while responding with another officer to a domestic disturbance, a WAND report said. He was a 13-year veteran of the Champaign Police Department and former officer with the Decatur Police Department.