crash_reports: 1900000458

On Sunday, May 5th, 2019 at approximately 1315 hours while working the City of Newton detail for the Walk for Hunger I was standing at my assigned post at the intersection of Centre Street and Willow Street. At the time, the road surface was dry and the weather was cloudy. Traffic was particulary heavy as there were several streets in the area still blocked off for the Walk for Hunger and there were participants still walking the route in the area. My attention was drawn to the intersection of Centre Street and Bowen Street as there was a motor vehicle travelling southbound on Centre Street with their left turn signal on attempting to take a left turn on to Gibbs Street. Gibbs Street was temporarily blocked to non-residential motorists as there were several pedestrians in the road crossing over Gibbs Street. As the motor vehicle attempted to turn, there were several pedestrians in the crosswalk crossing over Gibbs Street. The vehicle had stopped halfway into the northbound lane on Centre Street blocking on coming traffic. The operator appeared to realize Gibbs Street was blocked and attemped to turn the vehicle back into the southbound lane to continue southbound on Centre Street. As the vehicle turned back into the southbound traffic lane, the vehicles rear end collided with Officer Richard Clements, who was operating NPD motorcycle unit 533. Officer Clements was traveling southbound on Centre Street and was passing the vehicles in the southbound traffic lane which were currently all at a standstill. Officer Clements had his emergency lights activated as he was on his way to remove traffic cones from the street to open up all the traffic lanes along the event route. Officer Clements was working the City of Newton detail for the Walk for Hunger assigned to the motorcycle to assist with traffic. Officer Clements front wheel, left side of the motorcycle and left leg collided with the rear end of the motor vehicle. The impact of the crash caused him to fall off the left side of the motorcycle and land on the street face first. At this time I immediately ran from my post to Officer Clements location and radioed dispatch that a motorcycle officer was down and that I needed assistance. As I approached Officer Clements he was face down, unconcious and breathing. I was able to roll Officer Clements into the recovery position and at this time Officer Clements regained conciousness and was able to speak and stated " What happened? What was that lady doing she turned right into me". I advised Officer Clements that he had just been involved in an accident and to stay still and that help was on the way. The operator of the motor vehicle identified as Helen Leibner (S52717988) stopped her vehicle immediatley after the crash and got out of her vehicle to offer her assistance. I advised Helen and several other witnesses and bystanders who were now crowding around Officer Clements and I to back away from the scene and to not move any of the vehicles involved. Officer Selig arrived on scene and was able to help crowd control until further help arrived. Helen and all witnesses were advised to stand by for police to take their statements. While tending to Officer Clements he was disoriented and made several attempts to move his body to which I had to physically hold him still to prevent possible further injuries. While speaking with Officer Clements I noticed blood coming from the inside of his mouth. Officer Clements was in a noticeable amount of pain. He complained of head, back and left leg pain. Officer Clements was wearing a yellow ANSI certified Newton Police reflective jacket and a Newton Police issued motorcycle helmet. Once the paramedics and fire personnel arrived I was able to speak to the operator of the motor vehicle and several other witnesses. Helen stated she was traveling southbound on Centre Street operating her blue 2014 Audi A4 (MA REG 213BC9). Helen states she was attempting to take a left turn onto Gibbs Street and activated her left turn signal. Helen states she had stopped halfway into the northbound lane as several pedestrians were crossing Gibbs Street in the crosswalk at the time. Helen states after the pedestrians cleared she saw the traffic cones blocking the street and realized the street was closed. Helen states she turned her vehicle back into the southbound traffic lane and did not see Officer Clements or the motorcycle until impact. Helen was not injured and her motor vehicle sustained moderate rear end damage. Her motor vehicle was able to drive away from the scene. Witness Adron Gordon (S90357161) stated he was participating in the Walk for Hunger and had just crossed over Gibbs Street when the crash occured. He stated he witnessed the Officer on the motorcycle with the emergency lights on traveling southbound on Centre Street behind the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle stopped in traffic attempting to turn left onto Gibbs Street. He states then the vehicle made a slight turn back into the southbound traffic lane and the motorcycle collided with the rear end of the motor vehicle. He states the Officer then fell off the motorcycle landing in the middle of Centre Street. Witness Elizabeth McCarthy (S00242346) and Katherine Regan (S43486601) stated they both were in the same vehicle together stopped in traffic in the northbound lane of Centre Street just before the set of lights at Centre Street and Bowen Street. Both witnesses stated they do not remember if the driver of the motor vehicle had the turn signal on but they did see her attempt to turn onto Gibbs Street. They stated they also saw the motorcycle with emergency lights activated travel southbound on Centre Street approaching behind the vehicle. Witnesses state the motor vehicle then suddenly turned back into the southbound lane and the motorcycle collided with the passenger side tailight of the motor vehicle. Both witnesses state the motorcycle attemped to turn away from the vehicle to avoid the crash but was unable to do so. Witness Nina Wang (S39460985) stated she was parked on the southbound lane of Centre Street just prior to the crash scene. Nina states she was in her City of Newton DPW marked vehicle with the hazards on as she was working to assist with traffic safety for the Walk for Hunger. Nina states she witnessed the motorcycle travel southbound on Centre Street and pass the vehicles stopped in the traffic lane. Nina states the motorcycle passed the traffic using the left side and had the emergency lights activated. Nina states the motorcycle was just passing through the green light at Centre Street and Bowen Street when the motor vehicle that was stopped at the lights attempting to take a left turn onto Gibbs Street. Nina states the vehicle then abruptly jerked her car to the right and collided with the motorcycles left side. Nina states she heard a loud crash and witnessed the Officer fall off the motorcycle and land face first onto the street. The motorcycle's final resting place was on its left side approximately two feet away from where Officer Clements was located. The motorcycle sustained moderate damage to its left side, including the front wheel well and undercarriage. The motorcycle left scuff marks on the street which were measured and photographed. Several photographs of the scene and damage to both vehicles were taken and submitted to the IT Bureau. The motorcycle was towed by Todys. Centre Street and Bowen Street are both public ways maintained by the City of Newton. The injured motorcyclist, Officer Clements, was transported to Saint Elizabeth Hospital with fire fighters on board. I was able to follow up with Officer Clements on the phone the next day who was admitted over night at the hospital. Officer Clements stated he has no recollection of the accident and can only remember driving down Centre Street to begin to pick up cones to open up all lanes of traffic. Officer Clements stated he suffered a brain bleed, head, back, left foot and right thumb injuries. A Massachusetts Uniform Citation was issued and mailed to Helen for Chapter 89 Section 7A, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, police motorcycle.