Marlborough cop wasn't wearing seat belt
By Kristen Bradley / Daily News Staff
Saturday, September 10, 2005
MARLBOROUGH -- James Gough -- the Marlborough Police officer seriously injured Wednesday in a car crash while on his way to an emergency call -- violated department policy by not wearing his seat belt.
"The department has a policy that officers are required to wear their seat belts," Police Chief Mark Leonard said yesterday. "That policy appears to have been violated.
Discipline for violating a department policy can range from a warning to termination, Leonard said.
Since 1994, officers have been required to wear seat belts when driving or riding in city vehicles, Leonard said.
"Police officers not wearing their seat belts certainly sends the wrong message to members of the public," Leonard said. "Obviously, for their own safety, it's in the people's best interest to wear their seat belts."
Gough, 38, remains in fair condition at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he was flown by rescue helicopter.
A five-year veteran of the force, Gough suffered two broken ankles and a fractured wrist. He underwent extensive surgery Thursday afternoon and night, according to his brother Michael Gough, also a Marlborough Police officer.
Gough was resting comfortably when reached by phone in his hospital room last night, diverting questions to his wife of just over a year, Jennifer.
"He's doing really well," Jennifer Gough said. "Everything is looking good. There were no internal injuries, just fractures and broken bones."
Jennifer Gough said she doesn't know how long her husband will be in the hospital but when he is released, he will face months of rehabilitation.
"It's been stressful but he's stable and we're doing OK," Jennifer Gough said. "He's doing better, much better. As good as can be expected."
It was Wednesday morning just before 7:30 a.m. when Gough was dispatched to a call reporting a man having a seizure inside his car somewhere off Rte. 20.
With his cruiser's sirens and lights blaring, Gough was traveling southbound on Bolton Street (Rte. 85) when a Volkswagen Jetta darted out of Tremont Street.
The Volkswagen broadsided the cruiser, pushing it onto the sidewalk and into a utility pole.
The driver, Jason P. Collins, 18, of Marlborough, has been cited for failure to yield for an oncoming emergency vehicle and failure to yield when making a turn at an intersection -- both civil motor vehicle infractions, according to Marlborough Police Sgt. Thomas Bryant. Bryant said Collins will probably face up to $130 in fines.
The Massachusetts State Police Reconstruction Team investigated the crash, determining that speed was not a factor.
Article online at MetroWestDailyNews.com
