Probe Launched Following Mass. Officer's Crash

BOURNE, Mass. -- Two police sergeants and an officer are being investigated by their own department after one caused a car crash last week and the other two didn't follow protocol in responding to the accident.

"Formal discipline is expected" for Sgt. Kim Young, Sgt. James Czyryca and Officer Joshua Connors, Police Chief Dennis Woodside said.

Woodside confirmed Thursday that his department is looking into whether Young was drunk when he crashed into another car at 6:22 p.m. on Dec. 7 while he was off-duty.

Czyryca and Connors were on duty that night and are being investigated because they did not follow department rules in responding to the crash, Woodside said.

All three are still working during the investigation.

Young and another vehicle were traveling down Trowbridge Road in front of the Trading Post Lounge when Young's car hit the other, causing minor damage, according to Bourne police logs.

No one was injured in the crash. The log doesn't give more specifics about how the crash happened.

Connors responded to the crash and was told by the driver of the other car that she believed Young was drunk, because he was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol, Woodside said.

Connors called Czyryca from the scene and told him he didn't believe Young was drunk. But Connors didn't inform him that the woman whom Young hit thought he was intoxicated, which is against department protocol, Woodside said.

Based on the officer's report, Czyryca chose not to go to the crash scene and evaluate Young.

But that choice, too, went against Bourne Police Department protocol, he said.

Instead of evaluating Young's condition by phone, Czyryca should have responded to the scene and then called a superior officer at home.

"That's why we have phones and take-home cars," Woodside said.

A Breathalyzer test was not done, and Young and the woman exchanged paperwork and both drove away, according to Woodside.

The chief said he was notified of the crash the next morning and immediately opened an investigation.

Both Czyryca and Connors "have taken responsibility for their actions, or lack of actions," he said.

Charges have not been filed against Young for the crash, he said.

Both Young, a longtime sergeant, and Czyryca, who was promoted earlier this year, make around $90,000 per year in base pay, Woodside said.

Connors makes around $50,000.

A phone message left for the officers at the police station Thursday night was forwarded to Woodside.

Copyright 2011 - Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service