Middlefield Officer Suspended After Lying About Crash: Cops

A 25-year Middlefield police veteran has been suspended with pay after allegedly lying about a crash that damaged his personal car.

According to the warrant for his arrest, Officer Scott Halligan, 45, of Middlefield, struck metal debris near the intersection of Main Street and Reeds Gap Road sometime in June, but failed to report the incident until weeks later when he realized how much it would cost to make repairs.

On July 8, Halligan asked a fellow officer to write up the incident. He said he had hit and killed a deer on Cider Mill Road near the Coginchaug River Bridge. A trooper who had taken EMT training classes with Halligan in June said he had noticed the damage to Halligan’s car prior to July 8, the warrant says.

Police checked the supposed crash site on Cider Mill Road and found no evidence of a collision there. According to the warrant, damage to Halligan’s vehicle also didn’t match what was listed in the incident report, and there was no deer hair or blood on the car. Halligan also did not file an insurance claim.

Halligan later admitted that he had not struck a deer but said he didn’t want to disclose the actual location of the crash, the warrant says. He eventually told state police he hit debris at the intersection of Main Street and Reeds Gap Road, but kept going and didn’t report it right away because he underestimated the damage to his car.

Halligan said he only noticed the extent of the damage the next morning and didn’t tell his colleague about the incident until he learned repairs would cost him about $3,000, according to the warrant.

He was arrested Sept. 15 on misdemeanor charges of failing to report and incident and conspiring to falsely report an incident. He faced a judge Monday and was released on a promise to appear.

According to Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw, Halligan has been suspended with pay.

Halligan's attorney, Daniel A. Esposito, Esq., released the following statement Tuesday in response to Halligan's suspension and arrest:

"Officer Halligan is a decorated, 26 year veteran of the Middlefield Police Department with an unblemished record. Officer Halligan has not been charged with any violation of departmental rules, nor has he been disciplined in any manner. Officer Halligan has cooperated fully with the inquiry into this matter and remains committed to returning to duty as soon as possible," Esposito's office said in the statement.

"To be clear, there was no fraud, no gain, and no intent. We encourage all to reserve judgement [sic], as to do otherwise, would lead to the permanent tarnishment ofn anutherwise unblemished career," the statement continues.

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