HANOVER — A crash on South Park Street involving a police officer resulted in a crumpled Honda Civic, a damaged cruiser and both drivers sent to the hospital.
On Friday morning around 8:30 a.m., a Hanover patrol vehicle, responding to a reported burglary, collided with a blue Honda Civic at the intersection of South Park Street and Summer Street in Hanover.
Pulling out into the intersection from Summer Street to turn left onto South Park Street, the left-front of the Civic collided with the center-front of the patrol car, which had “lights and sirens activated,” said Lebanon Police Chief Phillip Roberts, whose department is investigating the crash.
Hanover Police Chief James Martin declined to name the operator of the Honda Civic or the officer, as the investigation is still ongoing.
The speed of the patrol car is not yet certain, Roberts said in a Monday phone interview.
Both drivers were transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center; the police officer was released the same day after receiving treatment for minor injuries, Martin said in a Monday phone interview.
Hanover police are waiting for an appraisal of the damaged patrol vehicle, which, despite not appearing to have major damage, might be totaled, Martin said.
“These newer cars can get a little damage and end up being totaled,” said Martin.
He expects the appraisal to happen within a week, which will determine how the department will maintain its total of six marked patrol cars.
When an officer is involved in a situation that warrants investigation, common practice is to have another police department investigate, Martin said.
“It’s tough to investigate your own people,” Martin said. “We have Lebanon doing the investigation for trust and transparency.”
Roberts said he did not yet have a time frame for the investigation, which will determine who is at fault in the crash. This will then help determine the disciplinary action taken against the Hanover officer, if any, Martin said.