Last week I posted about the latest Eric Smith incident here. As part of that , I filed an FOI Request with the Hartford Police Department for any dash cam from the Officer's car that was attempting to stop Sergeant Smith as he raced South on I-91 at excessive speed, right before he crashed..
Unlike Deputy Chief Foley, who seems to understand the meaning of transparency and public information, there is another gatekeeper for the HPD information vault. Detective Ursula Weibusch is the brick wall between the public and openness at HPD. I figured it was somewhat odd, having dealt with her in the past, to get an e-mail Tuesday that my FOI request was ready to be picked up with everything I had asked for including the video.
I picked up the packet as instructed and reviewed the documents. Interestingly the video showed Sergeant Smith racing down the snow covered road and then cross a few lanes of traffic to quickly exit I-91 onto the Capitol Area exit.. The officer stayed a distance behind Smiths Truck as he exited onto the Prospect Street Exit by Arch Street, The video clearly shows Smith blowing through the intersection and the Red traffic light at about 35 MPH and make a quick left onto Arch Street.
The video then shows Smith heading South on Prospect in a reckless manner on the snowy and icy street. Toward the end of the video it shows Smith losing control of his vehicle... and then the video suddenly ends. Conveniently apparently right before he crashes into a light pole snapping the pole off and right before it landed across Prospect Street.Conveniently also right before Smith exited his vehicle bleeding and according to sources staggering.
Even though I asked for "any dash cam video" I didn't get it. After several e-mails back and forth and at first being told the video somehow ended abruptly and no more existed, today HPD seemed to backtrack and said there were 3 more segments of video they would be releasing to me tomorrow.
The accident report is also interesting since there was no mention of the high speed reckless travel of the vehicle before the crash. The only mention by Officer Stachowicz of the events leading up to the crash was "While travelling West on the Conlin Whitehead Highway , I observed a dark colored pick-up truck in front of me also travelling West". No mention of having to pursue the truck from almost Jennings Road just to catch up with it.
Stachowitz writes that Smith was given "a verbal warning for travelling too Fast for Conditions" . No mention of blowing through the Red light, or maybe "left turns on Red" as mentioned in his report are legal after certain hours. Also , no mention of Reckless Driving or Alluding Police.
The unusual incident report also seems to skip over some key questions also. Why was Smith and his vehicle gone before any Supervisor's arrived on the scene to document the incident? Who mad the decision to move the light pole out of the road before CL&P and Hartford Fire arrived to "make it safe". That could have been deadly to move a live, aluminum light pole.
Here are the reports and the video below, or at least the video that was given to me. The rest will be posted as soon as I get it.
Maybe it is time for Detective Weibusch to make another appearance before the FOI Commission to reinforce the public right to know.
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10 comments:
Uh oh Stach.......sounds like you have some explaining to do!!!! LoL
Great investigative work and exposure Mr. Brookman. Now check to see how much Eric drank at Cloud 9 where he had been drinking. He must've been racing back there for some apparent reason........stay tuned!!!
Wtf. Lol. What a sham. That is a freaking pursuit. A verbal warning kamil?? I bet if it was vice, u would lock them up. Im sure the ert team will accept your cover ups with open arms. Good luck .....
Radio tapes??
Thats is a pretty detailed accident report.
This is exactly the problem. I hate to say it but in this case any officers who assisted in a cover-up should be fired. We need officers to uphold the law equally regardless of who the suspect is. There is no public trust when officers pick winners and losers. They should be charged with obstruction of justice.
Obviously Kevin no one care what happens to this Sergeant seeing the lack of commentators with this post and only (16) on your last.
Your a smart man. But We all know his psychotic live in engaged for 10 yrs can't get the hint wanna be wife, ran and called the mayor and He inturn ordered a Cover up!!!
Guess Mr. Smith will skate away on this escapade to. Watch out Hartford
Kevin, don't think that the police are the only city department that has "cover-ups". The fire department has them down to a science. The good guys are disciplined while the screw ups are allowed to continue their behavior. Just ask Brady, Malizia, and Fonfara about these things. They were either transferred or suspended for complaining about Caldwell and Mercado. Don't worry, the new administration, Huertas, Waller, and Shapiro has things all taken care of. Huertas sold his sole to become chief by agreeing with handing Waller the A/C position. All Waller does is walk around shaking hands, kissing babies like a politician, he's so incompetent its pathetic. Shapiro will probably go back to the line because of these two clowns running the department further into the ground.
Dont you worry. When chief waller takes the helm of the ship, stuff will get done. Going to be a whole lotta changes round here. So get ready, cause it WILL happen soon. Huertas is already in over his head and looking around, soon terry will rule this dept like he deserves !!!
Wow! This is very disturbing to read as a civilian. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely! Is there anyone who can clean the HPD up or does everyone just fall into the same pattern of covering up and looking the other way?
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