SOUTHBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut State Police have released the body camera footage from a crash involving a State Police Sergeant who allegedly crashed his state vehicle into another car.
On Sept. 25 Sergeant John McDonald reportedly left a retirement party for a colleague at Black Hog Brewing, in Oxford, and collided with another vehicle on Strongtown Road in Southbury.
Troopers said he ran a stop sign and crashed into a Nissan Altima, causing both cars to go off the road and into the woods.
According to reports, State Police Sergeant Shawn Prusinowski responded to the scene that night. When he realized there was a State Police vehicle involved in the collision, he put the bodycam on and began recording.
However, the footage only seemed to show responding troopers and officers’ points of view.
Watch: Raw body camera footage
“I’m recording, but the mic is off,” Prusinowski said in the video. “They were coming this way, he didn’t stop at the stop sign; T-boned ’em, pushed them into the woods.” “Everyone OK?” another official asked.
“Minor … she’s got a collar may be fractured, maybe a fractured wrist, and I don’t know what is the deal with her. They are all conscious and alert. It’s just minor. They’re just making a big production out of this.”
His conversation with responding officials had sound, but as soon as Prusinowski spoke with the victims, the sound cut in and out.
“Do you remember what happened?” he asked in the video. “Yeah, we were driving down this way and my mom said something about a car not …” the victim said before the audio dropped out.
The video doesn’t show troopers or Prusinowski speaking with McDonald.
In fact, Prusinowski didn’t even walk near McDonald’s vehicle in the nearly hour of bodycam footage.
Trooper Tyler Weerden said sometimes officials will cut off audio if it contains personal information.
“There are special exceptions when talking to victims — if someone’s home address has been given where the camera should be muted,” he said.
It is unclear if he was drinking because State Police could not give him a blood alcohol test because he was taken to the hospital.
Hospital staff would have administered one, except McDonald refused treatment and left.
A lawsuit filed by the victims states that McDonald was under the influence.
