Cruiser involved in traffic accident

No charges have been pressed against a Town of Bath police officer as a result of an accident at the intersection of Washington and Fairfax streets at 4:25 p.m. on Monday afternoon, September 17.

Town Patrolman 1st Class Richard Haynes was driving north on South Washington Street when his 2004 Dodge Intrepid police cruiser struck a 2000 Buick Century driven by Eileen Clark, according to the report by State Police Corporal E. D. Widmeyer.

Neither driver was injured in the accident.

Clark was heading west on Fairfax Street and her vehicle had just entered the intersection to make a left turn onto South Washington Street.

Both drivers said the traffic light was green at the time of the accident, according to police.

Two witnesses later told police that Clark had a green light, and a third said Haynes had a red light, according to State Police Sgt. C. A. Mahood.

Mahood said one witness was two cars behind the police vehicle and said the light was red for Washington Street traffic when the accident occurred.

The other two witnesses were on the opposite side of Fairfax Street from Clark's car and said she had a green light, police reported.

Mahood said the conclusion of the police report is that Haynes failed to yield right of way.

No traffic citation was issued.

"It is not the function of the investigating officer to assign blame. The officer's job is to determine if a traffic violation was committed. It is up to the investigating officer's discretion whether to issue a citation or not," Mahood said.

Bath Police Chief Jim Minton said the patrol car suffered only minor damage. Clark's car was towed from the scene.