Newly released police records and body-camera footage provide a closer look at the late-night crash involving City Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey and the police response now under internal investigation.
Officers responded at approximately 12:03 a.m. Sept. 2 after Toomey’s vehicle struck an unoccupied vehicle on Harrington Way. The police crash report states that Toomey was traveling south when her vehicle struck a Volkswagen that was “parked on the sidewalk.”
Police Chief Paul Saucier ordered an internal investigation into officers’ handling of the incident to determine whether department policies were followed and whether Toomey received preferential treatment.
Police Chief Paul Saucier ordered the review to determine whether department policies were followed and whether the longtime councilor received preferential treatment.
The crash report obtained by the Guardian identifies Toomey as the operator of a 2014 Buick and the second vehicle as a 2021 Volkswagen. The officer’s narrative states that Toomey was traveling south on Harrington Way when her vehicle struck the Volkswagen, which the officer described as “parked on the sidewalk.”
No injuries were reported, and both vehicles were towed from the scene, according to police. The crash report lists no citation issued to either vehicle.
“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,” Miranda told the Guardian.
Saucier said he initiated the investigation as soon as he became aware of the incident.
“The review is focused on ensuring that no preferential treatment was provided and that all departmental policies and procedures were properly followed,” Saucier said.
The department’s Bureau of Professional Standards is conducting the investigation, which remains ongoing. Saucier said such investigations have a 90-day timeline for completion, although most are completed sooner.
No responding officers have been placed on leave or had their duties modified while the investigation is underway, Saucier said.
The circumstances drew particular scrutiny because Toomey chaired the City Council’s Standing Committee on Public Safety, which handles matters involving the Police Department. Toomey announced Sept. 15 that she would temporarily step away from the committee and recuse herself from matters involving WPD until the investigation is complete.
Asked whether he, Sgt. Anthony Petrone or another WPD supervisor had contact with Toomey or responding officers during or immediately after the crash, Saucier said the question is part of the internal review.
“I did not have any contact with Councilor Toomey during or immediately after the incident,” Saucier told the Guardian. “To my knowledge, no other supervisors did either; however, this will be formally addressed as part of the investigation.”
Asked whether anyone else from the department was contacted on Toomey’s behalf that night, Saucier said, “Not to my knowledge,” adding that the question is also part of the ongoing investigation.
Body-camera footage from the incident shows Toomey remaining in her vehicle while officers investigate the crash. The Guardian obtained four recordings through a public records request.
When an officer asks Toomey what happened, she is heard saying she “had an issue,” according to previously published accounts of the footage. When another officer asks whether she sideswiped the parked vehicle, she responds, “I was driving down the street and that’s all I remember.”
The footage also shows Toomey taking several minutes to locate her driver’s license and, at one point, attempting to give an officer another card before eventually locating the license, according to those accounts.
Toomey is also heard asking officers to contact Saucier.
“Can you call the chief?” Toomey asks. Officers are not shown responding to the request.
At another point, Toomey says she is trying to reach Petrone.
Campaign finance records filed with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance show Petrone has contributed $425 to Toomey’s campaign since 2015, including two contributions totaling $225 in 2023 and a $150 contribution in October 2025. The records identify Petrone’s occupation as a Worcester police officer.
Saucier said that, to his knowledge, neither Petrone nor another WPD supervisor had contact with Toomey or responding officers during or immediately after the incident, although he said that question will be formally addressed by the internal investigation.
The body-camera recordings show officers asking Toomey to arrange a ride home and directing traffic until a tow truck arrived, according to previously published accounts. Portions of the recordings are muted while officers speak among themselves.
The crash report does not document field sobriety testing or a breath test.
The Telegram & Gazette previously reported that police said impairment was not suspected.
Asked by the Guardian what observations led responding officers to determine impairment was not suspected, Saucier declined to provide details while the internal investigation remains underway.
“Until all responding officers have been interviewed and the Bureau of Professional Standards completes the investigation, I cannot speak to their observations or assessments at the scene,” Saucier said.
Asked specifically whether Toomey was asked to perform field sobriety testing, Saucier again said the incident remains under review and that he could not yet speak to the officers’ observations or assessments. He added that Worcester officers do not carry portable breathalyzer machines.
Toomey addressed the controversy Sept. 15, saying she was not impaired and announcing that she would temporarily step down from the Public Safety Committee and recuse herself from matters involving WPD while the internal investigation continues.
“I was not in any way impaired and will face no charges,” Toomey said in a statement provided to the Guardian.
Toomey described the incident as a collision with an “unlawfully parked vehicle.” The police crash report describes the second vehicle as “parked on the sidewalk” but does not characterize the parking as unlawful.
“Fortunately, nobody was injured,” Toomey said. “But to be clear, the police investigated the incident, I cooperated fully and was allowed to return to my home.”
Toomey said she decided to step away from the Public Safety Committee to avoid any appearance of a conflict while the department investigates officers’ handling of the crash.
“In order to avoid any potential appearance of a conflict, I have decided to temporarily step down from the Public Safety Committee and recuse myself from any matter involving the Worcester Police Department until the investigation is over,” Toomey said. “I’m doing this out of an abundance of caution and to ensure that the work of our Committee and the integrity of the Worcester Police Department remain above reproach.”
The Worcester Civilian Review Board Coalition and Worcester NAACP had separately called for Toomey to step aside from the committee while the incident remained under investigation. Both organizations also raised questions about the absence of field sobriety testing and the muted portions of the body-camera footage.
Toomey’s statement did not address why she asked officers to contact Saucier or why she said she was attempting to reach Petrone.
The Police Department’s internal investigation remains ongoing.
This story has been updated after the Worcester Guardian obtained the police crash report and four body-camera recordings through a public records request
