A 19-year-old rookie cop with the Rutland City Police Department tragically lost her life in a police pursuit on July 7 when her vehicle collided with the suspect’s.
Officer Jessica Ebbighausen, who was still in training at the time, was killed in the collision after she and fellow officers chased a truck driven by Tate Rheaume, 20, who was suspected of attempting to break into a house, according to Vermont State Police.
Investigators say the fatal crash occurred when Rheaume’s vehicle veered across the center line of the road and collided head-on with Officer Ebbighausen’s cruiser. The impact subsequently caused the truck to strike another police car.
Officer Ebbighausen was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen expressed his grief.
“We’re hurting right now. She always had a smile on her face … We were looking forward to having her as part of our family. I’m here today to mourn, really, the loss of a family member. The state police are conducting the investigation. At some point, we’ll review everything,” the chief said.
Chief Kilcullen further added that Officer Ebbighausen had aspired to become a police officer since she was nine years old and had completed an internship with the department during high school.
The investigation into the incident is being led by the Vermont State Police, who are considering speed and substance abuse as potential contributing factors to the crash.
It remains unclear whether there were any existing criminal cases against Rheaume or what charges he may face. However, initial charges have been filed against him, including grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with death resulting and attempting to elude with death resulting.
Rheaume, who sustained injuries in the collision, was initially held on $500,000 bail while receiving medical treatment at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. He is expected to be arraigned on Monday at 12:30 p.m. in the Criminal Division of the Rutland, Vermont, Superior Court.
The Vermont State Police noted that additional charges against Rheaume are possible as the investigation progresses.
The Vermont Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Officer Ebbighausen, determining her cause of death as blunt force trauma. Meanwhile, the two other officers involved in the crash, Richard Caravaggio and Kelsey Parker, have been released from the hospital.
The investigation also revealed that Officer Ebbighausen and her partner Officer Caravaggio were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. This finding highlights the importance of adhering to safety protocols during high-speed pursuits.
Officer Ebbighausen, hailing from Ira, Vermont, had joined the Rutland Police Department as a part-time officer in May and was scheduled to commence full-time training at the Vermont Police Academy in August.
The Rutland City Police Department recently implemented policy changes discouraging high-speed pursuits, although Chief Kilcullen did not elaborate on these modifications. As the state police continue their investigation, a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the incident will be conducted in due course.
With Officer Ebbighausen’s tragic death, she becomes the 29th officer to lose her life in the line of duty in Vermont, and at her age, she is among the youngest officers to have made the ultimate sacrifice. The law enforcement community and the wider community at large mourn the loss of a dedicated young officer, who had a bright future ahead of her.
