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Independent Agency Report Clears Randolph Police Officer in Pedestrian Accident

RANDOLPH — Randolph Police Chief William Pace reports that a lengthy investigation by the Quincy Police Department has cleared a Randolph Police officer of wrongdoing after the officer accidentally struck a pedestrian while the officer was en route to a domestic violence call in August.

The Randolph Police Department has been transparent and forthcoming with the release of records and audio recordings generated by the Aug. 25 incident. The department has previously released all police radio transmissions from the evening and all 911 calls relating to the incident.

The Quincy report can be downloaded HERE. It is being released to the public with only legally-required redactions.

The report found that the officer braked hard and attempted to steer away from the pedestrian before the crash. The report stated that “this crash was unavoidable and further resulted in non-fatal injuries to [the pedestrian] due to the quick and decisive actions made by [the officer] that evening.”

Additionally of note, the Quincy investigation concluded the following facts:

  • The pedestrian was attempting to cross the roadway outside of a crosswalk at the time
  • The officer had properly activated his emergency lights and siren as he was responding to an emergency call for service
  • The cruiser was traveling approximately 42 mph and the officer was operating the cruiser in a “safe and controlled manner” before the accident

The investigator noted in the report that he met with the accident victim as part of the investigation, but that the victim refused to provide a statement to the investigator.

“This was a deeply unfortunate accident, but it is clear from the outside agency’s report that the accident was unavoidable, and that our Randolph Police Officer made a concerted effort to avoid the crash, which may have made the difference between life and death,” Chief Pace said. “We deeply appreciate the diligence and hard work of the Quincy Police Department in their findings of fact in this matter.”

With the filing of the report, the criminal investigation is now closed.

The Randolph Police Department is also awaiting the results of an external administrative review of the totality of incidents and circumstances on Aug. 25, including the pedestrian’s prior motor vehicle crash.

 

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News releases published by the Randolph Police Department reflect information available to the Department at the time of publication. An arrest or criminal charge is an accusation and does not constitute a finding of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Information contained in historical news releases may not reflect subsequent developments, including changes to charges, dismissals, acquittals, convictions or other court proceedings. The Police Department does not routinely update historical news releases to reflect the ultimate disposition of criminal cases. The Police Department does not have jurisdiction over cases that are before the courts. Additional information concerning criminal proceedings may be available through the appropriate District Attorney's Office or the Massachusetts Trial Court, subject to applicable laws and restrictions governing access to court records.
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