Officer Arrested After Fatal Baton Rouge Crash
A deadly crash in Baton Rouge lands a police officer behind bars. WAFB reports the wreck happened on Friday when the officer was reportedly driving nearly 80mph on a city street.
28-year-old Officer Sharmaine Buckley faces a charge of negligent homicide, two counts of negligent injuring, reckless operation of a vehicle and emergency vehicles; exceptions.
A spokesperson for BRPD says the deadly crash happened just before 10:30 Friday night near the intersection of Government Street and South Foster Drive in the middle of Baton Rouge.
According to BRPD, Buckley allegedly ran a traffic signal in her marked patrol car and crashed into the back of a Chevrolet Impala. The driver of that car, 38-year-old Caleb James Chappetta was pronounced dead at the scene.
The police report shows Buckley was traveling 79 mph when the deadly wreck happened. This crash resulted in a chain reaction which involved six other cars.
At the time of the wreck, BRPD units were rushing to another call of officers needing assistance near Government Street and 16th Street. Those officers were apparently been shot at during another call.
Buckley is assigned to uniform patrol and has been on the force for 2 years. She is now on administrative leave while the case is being investigated.