For Immediate Release

Monday, Nov. 26, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Rockland Police Chief Involved in Crash with Alleged OUI Driver

ROCKLAND – The Rockland Police Department reports that a man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly struck Police Chief John Llewellyn’s cruiser while driving drunk and then fled the scene.

RICHARD CIRIGNANO, AGE 65, OF ROCKLAND is charged with:

• OUI Liquor (Second Offense)
• Operating a Motor Vehicle to Endanger
• Leaving the Scene of a Crash
• Failure to Stop for a Police Officer
• Failure to Stop at a Red Light
• Speeding
• Failure to Wear a Seat Belt

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24, Chief Llewellyn was travelling south down Spring Street in an unmarked Ford Explorer cruiser, leaving the annual Holiday Stroll event downtown.

As Chief Llewellyn went through the intersection of Spring Street and Summer Street a man, later identified as CIRIGNANO, driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck down Summer Street allegedly drove through a red light and struck the rear passenger’s side of Chief Llewellyn’s cruiser.

Chief Llewellyn attempted to avoid the collision but was unable to do so and his cruiser went off the road and onto the lawn of a nearby church.

The Chief and his passenger were uninjured.

CIRIGNANO sped away from the scene down Summer Street. Chief Llewellyn made sure he and his passenger were alright and then he initiated a pursuit of CIRIGNANO.

Chief Llewellyn used his flashing lights to pull CIRIGNANO over about a half-mile from the scene of the crash in front of the Rockland Ice Rink.

Additional officers responded to take command of the scene. Through the ensuing investigation, it was determined that CIRIGNANO had been driving under the influence of alcohol. He was placed under arrest and taken into custody without incident.

CIRIGNANO is expected to be arraigned today at Hingham District Court.

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

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