MSP 2018-0B3-005224

PI MV Crash of 7-19-18 Route 141, Chicopee

Operator: JEBB, William dob
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Investigation and report by: Lt. Paul Weinschenk #2478, Troop B Headquarters

1. On Thursday July 19, 2018 at approximately 2235 hours Chicopee Police received reports of a
single vehicle motorcycle crash on Grattan Street (Route 141), in Chicopee. Responding Chicopee PD
officers found a single injured victim; their off duty police chief, William Jebb dob herein after
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referred to as Jebb. Jebb recognized Chicopee officers and had conversation with them prior to being
transported. Chicopee PD Sergeant Hurst also responded to the scene, and in coordination with
Chicopee PD Captain Gilbert, facilitated the deployment and activation of the Chicopee Police Accident
Reconstruction Team.

2. At about 0010 hours on 7-20-18, Chicopee Police telephoned SP-Springfield and requested
assistance, initially by closing the Route 391 south off ramp, exit4B, onto Grattan Street. The first
Trooper on scene, Trooper Patrick Dolan, responded direct from the barracks and reports that none of
the Troopers had contact with Jebb as Jebb had been transported from the scene, prior to their arrival.
Additional responding Troopers were Jonathan Blanchard #3746 and Paul Savage #4034. At about 0030
hours, Chicopee PD requested that MSP Collision and Reconstruction Section (CARS) respond to their
scene. MSP Trooper David Sanford #1846 was contacted by the B Troop duty office and also consulted
his OIC, MSP Sergeant Sanchez. Troop Sanford also contacted the Chicopee Police desk. At this time it
was agreed that MSP CARS would not be responding as the crash did not meet protocol due to lack of
fatality or other special circumstance and that Chicopee PD reconstruction unit would handle it.

3. At the desire of Chicopee PD Captain Gilbert, with the understanding that the crash involved
their Chief Jebb, MSP was requested to complete the crash investigation, including final RMV reporting.
MSP Sergeant Jason Sternfield #2463 was assigned.

4. Based on preliminary information regarding status of the crash scene and casualty, Sgt
Sternfield went direct to in Springfield to speak with the motorcycle
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operator (Jebb), arriving at approximately 0120 hours. Sgt Sternfield was denied access to Jebb by
hospital staff at this time. However, Sgt Sternfield did meet and speak with Chicopee PD Detective
Captain Lonny Dakin who had been sent to the hospital and had not been to the crash scene.

5. Sgt Sternfield then proceeded to the crash where he arrived at about 0140 hours and met and
spoke with Chicopee Police Lieutenant Richard Henry, supervisor of the Chicopee Police accident
reconstruction unit. CPD accident reconstruction personnel were actively working the scene, including
the deployment of measuring/recording device(s).

6. In viewing the crash scene Sgt Sternfield formed the opinion that the motorcycle was entering
onto Route 141 (a/k/a Grattan Street) westbound from Route 391 southbound 4B ramp when it collided
with the left side Grattan Street curbing causing it to crash. The operator (Jebb) was ejected and both
the motorcycle and Jebb came to uncontrolled rest; the motorcycle on the concrete median of Route
141 and Jebb in the roadway.
 7. From the crash scene, Sgt Sternfield then returned to where he was again denied
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access by hospital staff to Jebb.

8. During the day shift of 7-20-18, after conferencing the incident with Sergeant Sternfield, Troop B
Executive Officer Captain Penniman assigned this officer as the primary investigator of this crash.

9. At the onset of this follow-up investigation, Sgt Sternfield and I decided to access Captain Dakin
to assist us in facilitating the investigation, building on a presumed rapport between he and Sgt
Sternfield initially developed at the emergency room during the early morning hours of 7-20-18.
Captain Dakin responded to our approach by telling Sgt Sternfield that he would not talk to us, with his
decision being based on consultation with Attorney Rooke.

10. On Monday morning 7-23-18, in my presence, Captain Penniman telephoned and spoke with
Chicopee PD Deputy Chief Dan Sullivan and informed the Deputy that I would be the assigned MSP
investigator for this incident. We requested several documents and items pertaining to the crash and
CPD’s involvement. We agreed that Chicopee PD would provide supplemental reports from all on scene
officers, reviewed and approved by Chicopee PD. Deputy Sullivan, without hesitation, pledged his and
his department’s cooperation.

11. I then contacted Chicopee PD Lt. Henry, O.I.C. of their accident reconstruction unit, inquiring of
the availability of their CPD reconstruction report. Lt. Henry responded that Chicopee PD would not be
preparing such a report.

12. On Tuesday, 7-24-18, I spoke with CPD Deputy Chief Sullivan regarding some of the requested
documents that they had ready for me to pick up. However, first I went to but was
G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(c) - Medical

unable to determine Jebb’s room as I was unaware that he was listed under an alias. I telephoned
Deputy Chief Sullivan and explained I was at the hospital and unable to locate Jebb. He directed me to a
different section of the hospital; there, hospital staff directed me to Jebb.

13. When I arrived at Jebb’s room I found there were other people present; I assumed they were
family. Jebb seemed to be in As I was explaining to him that I would speak with him
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another day, someone tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a cell phone explaining that Jebb’s
attorney wished to speak with me. The caller identified himself as Attorney Tom Rooke and told me not
to speak with his client, Jebb. In clarifying Mr. Rooke’s call, he said he was attorney for both the City of
Chicopee and Mr. Jebb. Rooke closed with saying that he would let me know when Jebb was available
to speak with me. William Jebb was discharged from the hospital on July 29th and returned to work on
August 13, according to open sources.
Upon later follow up with Attorney Rooke, in an attempt to obtain an operator statement and
G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(c) - Medical I subsequently received written notification (Attached) from
Rooke of Jebb’s intention to provide neither a statement nor .
G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(c) - Medical

14. I have received supplemental reports from the following Chicopee Police Officers and
highlighted snippets from these reports:

Officer Nicholas Smith. (It appears that Officer Smith may have been the first CPD officer on scene.)
When he arrived on scene, he encountered three individuals standing near an individual lying across the
eastbound lane of Grattan Street near the median. One of the individuals ran to the driver’s side of the
marked cruiser and stated, G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(f) - Investigative The three told him that they
were passing by when they came across the crash and stopped to help. Jebb greeted Smith by name
and when asked what happened, Jebb replied, G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(f) - Investigative

At the direction of Sgt Hurst he (Smith) followed the ambulance to where he

G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(c) - Medical

stayed with Jebb and attended to additional needs.

Officer Timothy Brodeur. Officer Brodeur arrived on scene the same time as Officer Smith. As he was
approaching Officer Smith and the victim, two motorcyclists jumped on their bikes and left the scene
W/B on Grattan Street. As the officers were rendering aid they had very limited conversation with Jebb,
during which Jebb said he was coming from
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He also spoke with witness who told him that he had met Chief Jebb prior to
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the crash and they both agreed on getting wings to eat. states that he went ahead of
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Chief Jebb to where they agreed to meet and was waiting for him but he did not arrive. He
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came back to see the crash.

Officer Brodeau also responded to the where a reported crash
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witness was located. Here he located where he conducted an initial interview. He then
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contacted Officer Moran to respond to the for further interview of

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Officer Benjamin Austin. Officer Austin responded with the initial CPD responding officers and
rendered aid to Jebb. Officer Austin reports that Jebb was alert and oriented to his person and
surroundings and recognized all officers on scene. Austin asked Jebb what happened to which Jebb
responded that he was cut off by another vehicle which caused the accident.

Sergeant Patrick J. Hurst. It appears Sgt Hurst was the fourth Chicopee police officer on scene and the
first supervisor. Officers Smith, Brodeur and Austin were providing first aid to Jebb upon his arrival.
Also, Jebb recognized and acknowledged him by name upon hearing his voice. Sgt Hurst neither
smelled the odor of alcohol coming from Jebb nor observed slurred speech. He asked all three of the
first responding officers; Smith, Brodeur and Austin, if they observed any signs of alcohol coming from
Jebb to which they all individually responded, “No.”

Officer Ryan Moran. Officer Moran was working at the time and responded to the scene, arriving after
Officers Austin, Smith and Brodeur. He is also a member of the Accident Reconstruction Team. While
at the scene he noticed a motorcyclist approach and stop. Officer Moran engaged the motorcyclist,
later identified as , and learned that he was a potential witness. told him, “
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.” [Officer Moran’s attached report suggests that was vague and

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noncommittal with details.] Officer Moran detected a slight odor of liquor/alcoholic beverage coming
from ’s breath but he did not appear intoxicated.
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Officer Moran also responded to the after a potential witness, , had

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been vetted by Officer Brodeur. told him, in part, that he was driving
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(westbound). While he was approaching the I-391S (4B) off ramp, he observed a motorcycle come
across the exit and claims the motorcycle hit the curbing/median
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(Upright) (It appears says there were no other vehicles on the road at the time.)
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Lieutenant Richard Henry. Lt Henry is an accident Reconstructionist and is in charge of the B Squad
team. He was contacted while off duty and at home by Chicopee Police Captain Mark Gilbert. Lt Henry
activated his team and also responded to the scene. At about 0037 hours he spoke with CPD Captain
Gilbert who told him that he wanted MSP to handle the crash. Lt. Henry made the request for MSP to
complete the crash report.
Officer David Wolowicz. Officer Wolowicz responded to the scene as a member of Chicopee Police
reconstruction team. He examined the scene, including the motorcycle while placing it in a standing
position, and photographed the scene and evidence.

Sergeant David Heroux. Sgt Heroux responded to and assisted at the scene. He was initially assigned to
complete pages one and two of the crash report but later instructed otherwise.

Detective Michael J. Dion. Detective Dion responded to the scene and from there facilitated the
involvement of Captain Lonny Dakin who was tasked with notifying Jebb’s wife and it was agreed that he
would also transport her to the hospital.

Detective Christopher Sawa. Detective Sawa responded to the scene and assisted as directed and does
not report speaking with Jebb.

Sergeant Jeffrey Godere, Sgt Godere was the commanding officer of the midnight to eight AM shift.
He reports that it was he, at the direction of Lt Henry, who contacted Troop B Headquarters in
Northampton and requested of Lt Gladu that the MSP handle the accident report.

Captain Lonny C. Dakin. Captain Dakin was off duty when contacted by Detective Dion. Captain Dakin
transported Jebb’s wife to . He escorted into the emergency room
G. L. c. 4 § 7(26)(c) - Medical G L c 4 §G L c 4

to visit with Jebb. Jebb was conscious and able to converse.

Captain Mark D. Gilbert. It appears that Captain Gilbert was the Chicopee Police eve shift commander
and that he coordinated his department’s response to this crash. It does not appear that he responded
to the crash scene or had direct contact with Jebb.

Officer Eric Ortiz. Officer Ortiz was working the Chicopee PD CAD/dispatch at the time of the incident .
He had no direct involvement with the accident scene itself.

Officer Michael Wilk. Officer Wilk is the Public Information Officer for the Chicopee Police Department.
He had no direct involvement with this incident.

Officer Jacek Wanat. Officer Wanat was working dispatch at the time of the incident and had no direct
involvement with the crash.

15. On Monday 7-30-18 I spoke with dob and reviewed with him what he
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had previously told Chicopee Police, as follows: He came upon the crash after leaving the
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and rendered first aid along with other people to the injured party at the scene. He returned to the
where he overheard another person talking about the crash. went back to the
G L c 4 § 7(26)(f) G L c 4 § 7(26)(

scene of the crash and spoke with Chicopee PD claiming an individual, later identified as ,
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was talking about being a witness to the crash. According to , was at the
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talking about being a witness to a crash involving a motorcycle. continued to say he called 911
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but did not stop to render aid because he did not know CPR and other people had arrived on scene.
was unable to provide any additional information.
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