On February 17, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Chief Harold Medina operated his department-issued pickup truck in an “unsafe method,” working a purple mild and rolling over a automobile. The motive force was severely injured. So I summarized the current Report From inside investigators wanting into this stunning incident.
Nicely, you would possibly say in case you’ve seen Monitor video Photographs from the scene of the crash present Medina strolling towards the lights throughout Central Avenue, a busy four-lane avenue. He crossed the hole between two automobiles and crossed into the westbound lane, forcing one of many drivers to brake all of the sudden, then rapidly crossed into the eastbound lane and hit a automobile pushed by 55-year-old Todd Perchert Aspect view of a 1966 gold Mustang.
Whereas Medina’s reckless conduct appeared apparent, the Albuquerque Police Division’s Fleet Crash Evaluation Board (CRB) earlier this yr draw conclusions Accidents are “unpreventable”. how so? Medina was on his solution to a Saturday information convention along with his spouse when he took a detour to see a homeless encampment. , the argument escalated into gunfire on the intersection.
Lt. James Ortiz stated within the Inside Division report that whereas “the preliminary resolution to enter the intersection was not problematic,” the “info and circumstances don’t absolve division personnel of their duty to drive safely to make sure that no hurt is finished to personnel or personnel.” additional harm”. citizen”. Medina clearly failed to try this, Ortiz stated: “By definition, driving right into a crosswalk, sprinting between two autos touring on a busy avenue, and crossing an intersection with an eastbound automobile are all Unsafe driving practices. On this case, he famous, these unsafe practices “resulted in a automobile collision that resulted in critical bodily accidents to the sufferer, together with a fractured collarbone and shoulder blade, and eight fractured ribs. plate reconstruction), collapsed lung, left laceration.” A number of cuts to his ears and head, in addition to his face, the surgical procedure lasted seven hours, and he was hospitalized for almost per week requiring epidural painkillers and a chest tube. “
Otis not solely disagreed with the CRB’s conclusion in regards to the Medina crash; He stated the fee ought to by no means have reviewed the incident within the first place as a result of its mandate was restricted to accidents “that didn’t end in loss of life or critical damage”. Ortiz stated CRB Chairman, Commander Benito Martinez, violated division coverage by deciding the board made a judgment in regards to the Medina crash.
Martinez acknowledged that division coverage “prohibits the CRB from listening to critical damage incidents” and that “permitting such circumstances to be heard can be a violation of coverage.” Why did he nonetheless permit it? “He defined that his rationale for permitting the CRB to overview the Chiefs crash was based mostly on his perception that there have been individuals who needed to listen to in regards to the crash,” Ortiz wrote. “Lt. Col. Martinez clarified that he believed there have been individuals at Inside who needed to listen to in regards to the crash,” Ortiz wrote. The CRB reviewed the case to make sure full transparency, however it didn’t seek the advice of with anybody from the Dwelling Workplace to confirm the accuracy of this assumption.”
The CRB’s resolution to overview the crash and the implied acquittal of Medina are incomprehensible. However Medina’s rationalization for the third coverage violation Ortiz discovered — the chief’s failure to activate his physique digicam after the incident — was even stranger.
“After the collision, the gunshot sufferer approached,” Ortiz wrote. “The sufferer informed the chief that he was okay and had not been shot. Chief Medina requested the sufferer to remain on the scene, however the sufferer refused and fled south on Alvarado. One other citizen approached the chief and reported A black chief who was seen abandoning clarified to witnesses that nobody observed that these interactions weren’t recorded and have been contacts that required obligatory recording.
Medina got here up with two convoluted excuses for refusing his digicam. Ortiz stated he “cites a staccato dialog along with his spouse, who was a passenger in his unmarked patrol automobile on the time of the collision.” “He asserts a privileged proper of communication between spouses, which particularly exempting him from obligatory recording necessities.” However the coverage “doesn’t present for non-recording based mostly on spousal privilege.”
Much more troubling, Medina stated he “intentionally shunned recording as a result of he was invoking his Fifth Modification proper towards self-incrimination.” He reasoned that as a result of “he was concerned in a visitors accident,” he was “protected by the Fifth Modification.”
Take into consideration the implications of this argument. Physique cameras are supposed to assist doc (and maybe deter) police misconduct. However Medina stated the Structure offers police the precise to not document their interactions with the general public so long as the proof may be towards them. He believes that on this case, the police could incriminate themselves by turning on the cameras. That is the purpose.
Medina will get two official rebuke Perchett, the police chief, died attempting to save lots of himself resulting from digicam violations and reckless driving that resulted in accidents to Perchett. In comparable circumstances, different Albuquerque cops have been fired. However after the accident, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller cheer Medina is a hero “on the entrance traces…doing all the pieces he can to maintain our metropolis protected.”
