Distracted driver distracts police chief who runs red light, rear-ends car

[Silent_Bob]

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20160813/NEWS07/160819701

STRATHAM -- The Stratham police chief is at fault for a minor three-vehicle crash Thursday when he rear-ended a car, causing it to hit one in front of it.

The crash happened at 5:40 p.m. at the intersection of Route 101 and Portsmouth Avenue.

Chief John Scippa said he was stopped at a red light and noticed a driver in a car next to him had her knee on the steering wheel while she was using a cell phone. Technically, he said, that is a violation even though she was stopped in traffic. The chief kept an eye on the driver, waiting to take action if she continued to use the cell phone when the light turned green.

When it did, she drove ahead and was still on the cell phone. The woman driver, however, was in the lane to turn left and had a green arrow, while the chief was in a lane to go straight ahead and still had a red light.

Scippa drove ahead in his unmarked 2014 Ford Explorer and rear ended a 2006 Toyota Scion being operated by Beverly Newberry, 80, of Dover, according to New Hampshire State Trooper Jeffrey Costa who investigated the fender-bender.

Newberry, in turn, rear ended a 2014 BMW being driven by Randy Bamberger, 60, of Bow.

"The irony is I'm attempting to take a law enforcement action on a distracted driver and I'm not focused on my own driving," the chief said.

The cruiser had "significantly minor damage" -- the license plate fell off, Scippa said. The Scion he hit had a dented rear bumper, while the BMW had no damage. No one was injured and all three vehicles were driven from the scene.

[Mark D. Jacobsen]

"significantly minor damage"
let us invent more eu·phe·misms for this stuff.

[Tom Sawyer]

"The irony is I'm attempting to take a law enforcement action on a distracted driver and I'm not focused on my own driving," the chief said.

Some credit is due, he didn't shoot the old lady he hit. 

[Free libertarian]

 

  "They risk their lives everyday to protect us"  (guy spitting out coffee and smirking emoticon)

[Russell Kanning]

exactly