An on-duty Rutland police officer identified as Jessica Ebbighausen lost her life on Friday afternoon in a multi-vehicle crash. The 19-year-old began her part-time employment with the Rutland Police Department as a level 2-certified officer on May 23.

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The collision happened in Vermont on Woodstock Avenue, close to Deer Street, at around 3:00 p.m. The Field Force Division and Crash Reconstruction Team of the Vermont State Police are currently handling the investigation into the incident.

According to Police, they received a complaint that a 20-year-old named Tate Rheaume was trying to break into a house on East Washington Street at about 2:35 p.m. They claimed that as Rheaume fled the site, an officer followed him.

Additional police cruisers came to assist as the pursuit proceeded from East Washington Street to the intersection with Woodstock Avenue (U.S. Route 4). One of the cruisers was being driven by Officer Ebbighausen, while a full-time supervisory officer was seated in the passenger seat.

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Tragically, during the 2-mile pursuit, Rheaume crossed the center line and entered the eastbound lanes, resulting in a collision with Officer Ebbighausen’s cruiser. Officer Ebbighausen lost her life at the scene of the collision. Her body was transported under the escort of the Rutland Police Department and the Vermont State Police to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy.

Two other officers and Rheaume were severely injured in the incident and were rushed to Rutland Regional Medical Center.

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There were multiple firefighters and police personnel on the site. Police officers were questioning any witnesses while also contacting surrounding businesses to determine if any security cameras at those establishments had recorded the incident.

The collision happened in front of Village Car Wash and Sherwin Williams Paints. The witnesses in the area reported hearing the crash, but they did not witness it themselves.