Rutland Officer, 19, Dead in Chase

By Stephen Cheslik
EAGLE TIMES MANAGING EDITOR

A young Rutland police officer has died, and a supervising officer was in critical condition after a head-on collision with a man fleeing police.

Officer Jessica Ebbighausen was just 19, with a “long and bright career ahead of her,” said Vermont State Police Lt. Col. Jim Whitcomb.

She would have attended the Vermont Police Academy later this summer.

Ebbighausen’s death occurred just two minutes and two miles into a chase that started with a 2:35 p.m. call to Rutland police that a man, identified by police as Tate Rheaume, 20, was attempting to break into an East Washington Street residence, Whitcomb said.

At 2:51 p.m., Rutland City Police Officer Jared Dumas encountered Rheaume’s truck and “he fled the scene and the officer pursued,” Whitcomb said.

The pursuit continued along residential East Washington Street and Stratton Road until Rheaume turned onto the far busier and more commercial Woodstock Avenue, also known as U.S. Route 4.

Rheaume turned toward the center of Rutland on the four-lane road. At the same time, two additional Rutland City Police Department vehicles were approaching the chase from the opposite direction.

“One of these cruisers was driven by Officer Ebbighausen,” Whitcomb said.

At 2:53 p.m., “Mr. Rheaume crossed the center line into the eastbound lanes and collided with Officer Ebbighausen’s cruiser, causing catastrophic damage to both vehicles,” Whitcomb said.

Rheaume’s truck then struck the second eastbound police cruiser.

Ebbighausen, who was driving, was fatally injured. Her passenger, supervisory officer Richard Caravaggio, was initially listed as in critical condition at Rutland Medical Center and was released from the hospital Saturday. Officer Kelsey Parker, the driver of the second eastbound cruiser, was treated Friday at the Rutland hospital and released Friday, according to police.

Investigation by the Vermont State Police has determined that neither Officer Ebbighausen nor Officer Caravaggio were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Saturday, the Medical Examiner’s Office completed the autopsy on Ebbighausen, according to the Vermont Department of Public Safety. The cause of death is blunt force trauma, and the manner of death is listed as pending.

“Mr. Rheaume was transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, and their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening,” Whitcomb said.

The cruiser that had pursued Rheaume from East Washington Street was not involved in the collision.

Ebbighausen, of Ira, had been on the job for less than two months, hired just weeks ago on May 23, said Rutland City Police Chief Brian Kilcullen.

“We lost a young women who for years longed to be a police officer. Since she was nine years old, that’s all she wanted to be,” Kilcullen said during a Friday night press conference.

“Jessica, about two years ago, as a high school student, did an internship with us. We really started recruiting her then. She recruited us long before that,” Kilcullen said.

Her grandfather had bene the chair of the police commission in Rutland.

“I don’t if any of us can really imagine what the family is going through, so I ask for your support, and I ask for your support for family, too,” Kilcullen said. “Not only the law enforcement family, but more importantly, the Ebbighausen family lost a loved one — a 19-year-old young women. As I said, we’re hurting, but we will get through this. We will persevere. We will continue to serve the community in a manner that will make you proud.”

“I think it is more important now than ever to ask for the support of the community. We’re hurting.”

Signs of support for the department were immediate. On Friday night, as the department mourned, no Rutland officer was on the street responding to calls.

At Kilcullen’s request, Vermont State Police and Fish and Wildlife officers stepped in for 12 hours to temporarily take over primary law enforcement responsibilities in Rutland.

“My deepest condolences go out to her family and friends, all members of the Rutland City Police Department and the entire Rutland community,” said Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Friday night. “This is a reminder of the risks our officers face every day, and my thoughts are with all of them.”

In Rutland, Kilcullen said the outpouring of support could be seen in simple things — someone providing food for the officers. Statewide, the outpouring was even more visible.

“It really extends beyond the Rutland community,” Kilcullen said, speaking of the somber journey his officers took from Rutland to Burlington to bring Ebbighausen to the office of the chief medical examiner.

“All the way up there were members of the community… out showing their respect, mourning with us,” Kilcullen said. “Not just first responding agencies, but the general public.”

In Shelburne, Ebbighausen’s procession passed beneath an American flag hung from the fire department’s ladder truck.

“I keep referring to it as a family, and it really is a family beyond the city of Rutland,” Kilcullen said.

Vermont State Police are investigating the incident, including what “role both impairment and speed had in this crash,” Whitcomb said. And investigators are working with Rutland County. State’s Attorney. Ian Sullivan on potential charges.

When asked, police did not say if Rheaume had a criminal history or prior contact with law enforcement.

Rheaume faces charges of grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with death resulting, and attempting to elude with death resulting.

Additional charges are possible, Vermont State Police said on Saturday.

Rheaume was remanded into the custody of the Vermont Department of Corrections on $500,000 bail while remaining at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of injuries from the crash. His condition was listed as serious but stable Saturday afternoon. Rheaume is scheduled for arraignment at 12:30 p.m. Monday in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Rutland.

“She always had a smile on her face,” Kilcullen said.” We were looking forward to having her as a part of our family.”