Video shows fatal crash as Troy officer drove at high speed

In the early hours of Feb. 22, 2023, a Troy, NY police officer responding to an emergency call broadsided a Honda sedan in an intersection, killing its driver. City leaders have declined to answer questions about their police emergency response policies, including whether officers don't use sirens.

[ricladouceur]

I was a police officer for 33 years. Let's call it like it is. Red lights and sirens aren't right of way in a controlled intersection particularly when you consider the side street traffic is obstructed by buildings. The requirement in most states is to stop and proceed when safe to do so. My training officer told me to remember you can't help anyone if you don't get to the call safely. This is an utter disregard for public safety.

[alienxyt]

78+ mph through a residential town with busy streets and a red light with no audible warning and blocked vision. Horrible! My condolences to the family.

[stuartthurstan]

That nurse was really on the ball. Her evaluation and reaction time to the police SUV suddenly coming back across the road at her were nothing short of amazing.

[palomavano]

I am very sorry for the victim here. He has two infant boys and was working to earn extra for his family. I hope his family can get over this tragedy and his kids have a good future.

[tommytwotoes]

80 in a 30 mph zone is unacceptable especially sense two other police cars were already there. The police also need to be held accountable for their actions. This cop really had no need to be going that fast.

[jamesrichardson]

That cop definitely needs to be held accountable. Manslaughter charges at the least. The amount of stupidity is overwhelming.

[Jonas-kron]

I am a paramedic and my colleagues always tell me: youre going to get there fast because you can run the red lights, not because you can floor the car down the streets. Relax. Be careful. Get there safe before not getting there at all.

[wendybutler]

Saw a car chase with a trainee behind the wheel. Training officer coached him thru every intersection, talking him thru why they slowed here and came to a full stop there and just cruised on thru some place else. He did an excellent job. So did the rookie doing the driving. This was a failure of due caution. He wasn"t going to be the first or second officer on the scene. His rash urgency was overkill. Literally.

[phinethkyu]

I read a report that the deceased had been checked for drugs and alcohol during the autopsy but I wonder if the officer who clearly caused this accident was checked for the same? I doubt it!

[otis]

When I was put behind the wheel of a fire truck, my company officers gave me some really good advice. We can’t be of any help to the people who called us if we cause a crash; with radios and cellphones a quiet interiors; no one sees or hears us until we are on almost top of them so don’t get frustrated and drive accordingly; we don’t stop on a dime; your second family is riding with you and their family wants them to come home, too. Basically, he was telling me to not be selfish and to think while I am driving. Two things this officer failed to do. He only thought and how fast he could get to a call, ignored everyone else, chose not to warn anyone else, and wasn’t thinking about the possibilities of what could happen at a blind intersection. He should be charged for negligent vehicular homicide. Being negligent is not a part of an officer’s job. He also violated the clearly written state statute governing how emergency vehicles (which include police vehicles) shall be operated when being driven to an emergency scene. Just because he was on duty and had been dispatched to an emergency call does not mean he was “doing his job.” Breaking the laws and policies he agreed to abide by when he became an officer is not “doing his job.”

[NT-fome]

Regardless of what the DA decides to do, this was a criminal act. Going to a call or not, 78 in a 30 through red lights is inexcusable, badge or no badge. He was way behind his buddies and wanted to catch up.

[Watts]

I lost my 2 bf's almost 10years here in Vancouver when a cop went thru a red light at over 100km/hr striking them on the drivers side. They had just left my house 4 blocks away. No sirens, just lights at an intersection that was obscured by trees. The cop had no injuries and received a $200 fine. We were friends since kindergarten. Not a day goes by that I don't think about them.

[jsuperjp]

That’s terrible. The cop shouldn’t have been driving that fast though a red light. He should be held accountable.

[cryptotic]

The officer or the department as a whole should pay child support for the children that no longer have a father due to his actions. This was easily avoidable by having a responsible person at the wheel.

[dionst.michael]

So frikkin sad. Young man was just trying to support his little family. As a Dad myself this tears my heart out. My condolences to his friends and family. May he rest in peace 😢😢😢

[Skoutzhonor]

I used to live around the corner from here and went through that same light going the same direction the victim did, just to think this could be any of us. My condolences to his wife and infant sons. 💔💔💔

[Pcarchu]

As a father of infant children my condolences to the victim and his family ... unacceptable 😢

[hmmok]

There has to be a separate governing body when an accident or crime involves the actions of law enforcement. The fact that the mayor, city council, and police leaders could not answer a simple question regarding current emergency response policies should be a violation of "right to know information"
If the action involved 2 citizens they would have immediately recited what violations occurred.

[markunavail]

The Cop was 100% at fault all departments say that an officer in a pursuit or responding to an emergency will come to a complete stop or at least slow down enough when they have a red light to make sure it is safe to proceed and when in pursuit of another car regardless if the other car runs the red at full speed the cop can not public safety is the top concern.

[MissWishes]

⭐️Brilliant reporting. It’s heartbreaking that this hard working man was taken & left behind a wife & 2 infants. I hope they will find as much peace in life as possible.💗