PROVINCETOWN, Mass. -- A pedestrian injured by a slow-moving Provincetown police truck early Dec. 9 was "essentially side-swiped," according to an investigation made public Thursday.
The driver of the 2005 Ford Ranger pickup, Provincetown Patrolman Gregory Hennick, will not be cited, however, because he did not act recklessly and because he responded "with professionalism and with compassion," Provincetown Police Chief Jeff Jaran said Thursday.
"The officer was 100 percent truthful and cooperated with all aspects of the investigation and was distraught over the incident," Jaran said.
"This case was thoroughly investigated and was treated just like it would be with anyone from the general public. ... As far as the investigation, the case is concluded," Jaran said.
Police have not revealed the name of the pedestrian, who is a 61-year-old Prov-incetown man.
The man's right knee was fractured in the crash and he cut the back of his head, according to the report written by Chatham Patrol Officer Sean Ryder, part of a three-person investigation team of the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council.
The man remained at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis as of Wednesday, the report said. That account of his injuries differs from Jaran's statement the evening of the crash when he said the man had a minor cut on his head but had been taken to the hospital for a pre-existing condition.
Hennick, a police officer of four years, was also taken to the hospital for observation after becoming upset at the scene. "It is my opinion that the culpability for the collision lies with the operator of the Ford," Ryder wrote in the investigation report. "The pedestrian was walking in the crosswalk and thus had the right of way. The collision could have been prevented if the Ford yielded to the pedestrian in the crosswalk."
The crash occurred at about 6:43 a.m. in front of the United Methodist Church. Hennick was towing a radar trailer from the nearby police station parking lot onto the road, Jaran said on the night of the crash. The report said he looked both ways and believed the roadway to be clear but as he made a right turn and passed over the crosswalk, he heard a thud. After driving another 33 feet south, Hennick noticed in the vehicle's mirror that a man was lying in the road. Hennick called rescue to the scene, the report stated.
The estimated speed of the Ford at the time of the crash was 8 to 9 miles per hours, the report said.
The pedestrian was struck by the front passenger side of the Ford, the report said. As he was falling, the man was "moving along the side of the Ford" as it drove onto the road, pushing in the passenger side mirror. A piece of his sweater was found on the side decal of the Ford.
Exactly why Hennick did not see the pedestrian is unknown but contributing factors include the dusky pre-sunrise light, the pedestrian's dark clothing, two signs obstructing the view of the crosswalk and the design of the truck's window frame, which differs from the Ford Crown Victoria that Hennick typically drives, the report stated.
Ryder and Eastham Police Officer Daniel Deschamps arrived in Provincetown about an hour after the crash to investigate, and Harwich Police Officer Aram Goshgarian went to the hospital to speak to the pedestrian and Hennick.
Provincetown traffic accident report
Copyright 2011 - Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
