Officer Jessica Ebbighausen and the aftermath of the crash where she died. (Image of Ebbighausen: Vermont State Police via AP; screenshot of the crash site: WCVB)
Vermont authorities charged a breaking-and-entering suspect with killing a rookie police officer when he crashed into her cruiser. The slain victim, Jessica Ebbighausen, was a 19-year-old part-timer scheduled to start police academy in August so she could become full-time. The defendant, Tate Rheaume, 20, was still at the University of Vermont Medical Center in the city of Burlington on Saturday in “serious but stable” condition, state police said.
Police claim that Rheaume was trying to break into a home on East Washington Street on Friday. Cops in the city of Rutland responded and Rheuame allegedly sped from the first officer he encountered.
“The pursuit continued from East Washington Street to Stratton Road to the intersection with Woodstock Avenue, also known as U.S. Route 4. Mr. Rheaume turned west on Woodstock Avenue,” police wrote. “At the same time, additional Rutland police units were responding to the area to assist.”
Ebbighausen drove one of the cruisers. A full-time supervising officer, Richard Caravaggio, rode in the passenger seat. Officer Kelsey Parker was in another vehicle that went east on Woodstock Avenue.
Rheuame allegedly crossed a center line into eastbound lanes and crashed into Ebbighausen’s cruiser. Officers described the damage to both vehicles as “catastrophic.”
“Investigation by VSP has determined that neither Officer Ebbighausen nor Officer Caravaggio were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision,” cops said.
“Mr. Rheaume’s truck then struck the second eastbound Rutland police cruiser” which Parker was in, officers wrote.
Caravaggio and Parker have been released from the hospital.
Rheuame is still at the hospital but is in the custody of the Vermont Department of Corrections in lieu of $500,000 bail.
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“Meanwhile, nearly three dozen Vermont law-enforcement officers and first responders escorted Officer Ebbighausen’s body in a procession along U.S. Route 7 from the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington back to the city she served as a part-time officer since May 23, and where she planned to embark on a career as a full-time police officer starting next month with training at the Police Academy,” cops said Saturday.
The Medical Examiner’s Office found that Ebbighausen died of blunt force trauma, but they were still working on determining the manner of death. Rheume faces charges of grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with death resulting, and attempting to elude with death resulting. The investigation is ongoing. He could face more charges going forward.
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