crash_reports: 2000000115

Vehicle one, Newton police marked 503 cruiser operated by Officer Hagopian, was stopped behind a stopped unknown vehicle on Watertown Street facing West waiting on a red light. Officer Hagopian stated both vehicles were in the right travel lane. Vehicle one was the second car in line at the red light. Officer Hagopian of vehicle one heard a police broadcast of a victim in cardiac arrest and activated its police emergency lights and siren to respond to the emergency call. The unknown vehicle in front of vehicle one pulled to the right and allowed vehicle one to navigate around it. Officer Hagopian stated he had his emergency lights and siren activated and went around the stopped vehicle that had pulled to the right in front of him. Vehicle one proceeded West toward the intersection at a slow rate of speed and observed the intersection to be clear and then accelerated. Officer Hagopian stated that vehicle two came from Walnut Street, traveling North, and came across the intersection where vehicle one and two collided. Officer Hagopian estimated his cruiser to be traveling at 15-20 mph upon impact with vehicle two. The front end of vehicle one made impact with the passenger side of vehicle two. Vehicle two, BMW operated by Gail Glaser, was traveling North on Walnut Street and was approaching the intersection of Walnut Street and Watertown Street. Operator of vehicle two estimated her vehicle speed to be about 20 mph as her vehicle entered the intersection. Ms. Glaser stated she had a green light. Operator of vehicle two was in the middle travel lane that was a designated lane to go straight. Mrs. Glaser stated she did not see an emergency vehicle but could hear the siren as she approached and then entered the intersection from Walnut Street (going North). She stated she had a clear view of the intersection. Vehicle two then came in contact with vehicle one (going West on Watertown Street) in the intersection. Vehicle two then came to a final rest in the Southbound lane of Walnut Street near the traffic signal posts at the corner. Vehicle two made head on contact with vehicle three upon final rest. Vehicle three, Acura operated by Jeffrey Katz, was the first car in the right travel lane on Walnut Street facing South. Mr. Katz stated he, vehicle three, was stopped at a red light that had just turned to a green light. Mr. Katz stated he heard the siren, stay stopped, and looked towards the direction of the sound and saw a marked cruiser entering the intersection from Watertown Street (West). Mr. Katz remained stopped where he was and then saw vehicles one and two collide in the intersection. Vehicle two then veered into the front of his vehicle head on and contact was made. Mr. Katz stated when he initially saw the cruiser it was already in the intersection with emergency lights and siren activated and estimated the cruiser to be going about 20 mph upon impact. Mr. Katz also indicated that vehicle two was traveling into the intersection from Walnut Street (North) at an estimated 20 mph. Witness Peter Dill was sitting in his parked car on Watertown Street facing East. Mr. Dill was parked in front of his house at 606 Watertown Street. It is the second home in from the intersection on the Eastbound travel side of Watertown Street. Mr. Dill Stated that he was looking at his cell phone when he heard the siren. When he looked up towards the sound of the siren, he saw vehicle one traveling about 5 mph in the intersection with emergency lights and siren activated. He did not know where vehicle one had originated from and just that it was traveling West on Watertown Street. Mr. Dill also saw vehicle two approaching from Walnut Street heading North and was not speeding. Mr. Dill estimated that 3-5 seconds had gone by when he first heard the siren to when the initial impact of vehicles one and two occurred. Witness James Davis-Sanon was driving a large MWRA utility work truck. He was the first car in the right turn only lane on Walnut Street. He stated that Walnut Street had the green light and he stopped before the intersection to allow vehicle one to continue going West on Watertown Street. Mr. Davis-Sanon stated he saw/heard vehicle one activate its emergency lights and siren when vehicle one was stopped behind a car waiting on a red light on Watertown Street. After vehicle one activated the emergency lights and sirens, it went around the car stopped in front of it and proceeded into the intersection at a slow rate of speed that Mr. Davis-Sanon described as a "rolling stop" but could not remember if the cruiser stopped or nearly stopped. Mr. Davis-Sanon stated vehicle one then accelerated to about 15 mph into the intersection. Mr. Davis-Sanon also looked at his driver's door rear view mirror and saw vehicle two traveling North on Walnut Street in the designated straight only lane and then proceed into the intersection. He estimated that vehicle two was traveling at 25 mph upon impact with vehicle one. Witness Joseph Giangregorio was in the front passenger seat of the same MWRA utility work truck. Mr. Giangregorio concurred with Mr. Davis-Sonon witness accounts regarding the location of their truck and vehicle one prior to emergency lights and sirens. Mr. Giangregorio did not witness the rear view mirror account since Mr. Giangregorio did not observe vehicle two in the rear view mirror. Mr. Giangregorio added that vehicle one activated its emergency lights and siren, maneuvered around the stopped car in front of it, slowed to 1-2 mph before the intersection but could not remember if it was stopped and then accelerated to about 15 mph before impact with vehicle two. He estimated that vehicle two was traveling 25 mph upon impact with vehicle one. I canvassed the area of where this incident ocurred for cameras. The only cameras I was able to locate was at 575 Watertown Street which is the second house in from the intersection on the Westbound travel side. Both cameras at this address did not have an angle to capture the intersection. Both cameras are focused on the front door to the home and the homeowner, Jose, confirmed that the angle could not capture the intersection. Operator of vehicle two was cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, MA uniform citation T2012104. Citation was written on February 3, 2020 and sent via mail.