A police officer in Marshfield is facing reckless driving charges after allegedly veering into oncoming traffic and crashing head-on into a car, officials said.
The crash occurred on Sunday shortly before 9:10 p.m. on Route 139 in Marshfield, police said in a statement.
“Upon arrival, first responders observed a multi-vehicle crash involving a Jeep and two other vehicles, with one vehicle resting on its roof,” police said.
Serious Motor Vehicle Accident Press Release: pic.twitter.com/lm56lsMr9I
— Marshfield Police Department (@Marshfield_PD) January 15, 2026
Police said a preliminary investigation found that the Jeep, driven by Richard Perry, was heading west at a high rate of speed when it passed a tow truck by crossing the double-yellow line into the eastbound lane.
Perry was off duty at the time, police said.
Soon after, the Jeep tried to pass a Hyundai Elantra by again crossing the yellow lines, this time striking a Honda Civic head-on, officials said.
The Elantra was also hit during the crash, police said.
Perry managed to exit his car on his own, police said, while the driver of the Honda Civic remained trapped until firefighters made a rescue with “hydraulic rescue tools,” police said.
Police said Perry and the other driver were both taken to local hospitals with serious injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. The Elantra driver wasn’t hurt.
Perry was placed on administrative leave according to standard protocol, and his department informed the state’s POST Commission, which can revoke officers’ certification to work in law enforcement in Massachusetts, of the incident, police said.
In addition, an independent third party will conduct a separate investigation for the department, police said. That party wasn’t named.
Police said authorities are seeking to charge Perry with reckless operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of marked lanes violation, and speeding, with additional charges possible pending a toxicology report.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Perry will head to court to address the allegations. It also wasn’t known if he had hired a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
“This department is committed to full transparency and accountability,” Marshfield’s police chief, Phillip A. Tavares, said in the statement.
The “fact that the operator was a police officer will not alter the scope, direction, or integrity of this investigation in any way,” he said.
“No matter who you are or what position you hold, conduct that endangers the public will be addressed through the appropriate legal process,’ he said.
Tavares also had a message for the two other people involved in the crash.
“To the victims and their families, I want to express my sincere concern and sympathy for what you have endured as a result of this incident,” the chief said. “Violations of the law or department policy [are] unacceptable and will not be tolerated by this department.”
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