DA Clears Chatham Officer Who Ran Over, Killed College Student
CHATHAM (CBS) – No charges will be filed after an investigation into the death of a 22-year-old who was hit and killed by a Chatham police cruiser in the early morning hours of New Year's Day.
Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe announced on Wednesday that after receiving toxicology reports from Garrett Gagne's body, the investigation into his death is complete.
Toxicology reports showed that Gagne, a Longmeadow resident, was legally impaired by alcohol and had illicit drugs in his system the night of his death.
Gagne was laying in the road parallel to the center line of Crowell Road, which investigators say was "pitch dark."
Responding to an emergency call, 2-year veteran Officer Christopher Vardarkis ran over Gagne's body before turning around and stopping. Gagne was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
O'Keefe said there is no evidence to show Gagne had been struck by another vehicle before he was hit by the cruiser.
No defects were found in the police cruiser, and investigators say collision avoidance analysis would show the collision was unavoidable.
