The Worcester Police Department has opened an internal investigation into officers’ handling of a late-night car crash involving City Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey, examining whether department policies were followed and whether the longtime councilor received preferential treatment.
Toomey struck an unoccupied vehicle on Harrington Way shortly after midnight Sept. 2, according to reports by the Telegram & Gazette and MassLive. No one was injured, and both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Worcester police have not cited or charged Toomey in connection with the crash, according to MassLive, citing court records.
The Police Department told both news outlets that an internal investigation was opened on the day of the crash because of Toomey’s position in city government.
“Because the operator is a city councilor, an internal investigation was initiated on the same date as the crash to ensure that no preferential treatment was provided and that all departmental policies were followed,” police said in a statement reported by MassLive.
The circumstances have drawn scrutiny in part because Toomey chairs the City Council’s Standing Committee on Public Safety, which handles matters involving the Police Department.
Body-camera footage obtained by the Telegram shows Toomey remaining in her vehicle as officers investigated the crash. According to the newspaper’s account, four responding officers provided roughly 16 minutes of footage each.
Asked by an officer what had happened, Toomey said she “had an issue,” according to the Telegram. When another officer asked whether she had sideswiped the parked vehicle, she responded, “I was driving down the street and that’s all I remember.”
The footage reportedly shows Toomey taking several minutes to locate her driver’s license. At one point, she attempted to give an officer another card before eventually finding her license, according to the Telegram.
Neither the Telegram nor MassLive reported that officers administered a field sobriety test. Worcester police told the Telegram that impairment was not suspected.
The footage also shows Toomey asking officers to contact Police Chief Paul Saucier, according to both news organizations.
“Can you call the chief?” Toomey is heard asking, according to the reports. Officers are not shown responding to the request.
At another point, Toomey said she was trying to reach Worcester Police Sgt. Anthony Petrone.
MassLive reported that Petrone contributed $100 to Toomey’s reelection campaign in 2023 and $150 during the following election cycle. The outlet also reported that Petrone shared a 2025 New England Police Benevolent Association social media post endorsing Toomey and nine other candidates.
Toomey does not identify herself as a city councilor during the body-camera footage provided to the Telegram.
The footage reportedly shows officers asking Toomey to arrange a ride home and directing traffic until a tow truck arrived. Portions of the officers’ body-camera recordings were muted while officers spoke among themselves, the Telegram reported. The footage provided to the newspaper ends when the tow truck arrives and does not show Toomey leaving the scene.
Toomey’s attorney, Michael Wilcox, told the Telegram that Toomey struck a vehicle that had been illegally parked on the sidewalk. Asked what caused the crash, Wilcox said Toomey may have had “an issue” while driving but declined to elaborate because of an ongoing insurance claim.
“There is nothing to this story but a woman driving home alone late at night,” Wilcox told the Telegram. “There is nothing nefarious about the situation; it was simply an accident.”
The Worcester Guardian has requested the police reports, body-camera recordings and other records associated with the crash and is seeking comment directly from Toomey and Worcester police.
This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.
