Aug 14, 2008 5:56 pm US/Eastern
N.H. Police Officer Killed In Hit-And-Run Crash
HENNIKER, N.H. (WBZ) ―
A New Hampshire police officer was killed in a hit-and-run crash on his way home from work early Thursday morning.
Hopkinton Police Officer Sean Powers, 24, was riding his motorcycle on Route 202 in Henniker when he was struck from behind by Jeff Dennis, police said. Powers was then hit by a Honda Civic traveling in the opposite direction.
According to police, Dennis fled the scene, but was later taken into custody after an all-night search that included a state police helicopter and a police dog.
Witnesses tried to help Powers, but it was too late. "When I got to the scene, I saw a form in the middle of the road and I thought 'Oh, this must be a motorcycle'… and someone said, 'No, that's a body,'" said Jim Ostholthoff, who was camping nearby when he heard the crash.
Dennis was arraigned on Thursday and is being held on $500,000 cash bail. He is charged with drunk driving, negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an accident. The judge set the high bail after agreeing with the prosecution that Dennis is a flight risk and has a very long criminal record.
Hopkinton Police Chief David Wheeler told the
Manchester Union Leader that Powers joined the department in April and had just completed his field training program. Powers was scheduled to begin training at the police academy at the end of the month.
Powers had served two tours of duty with the Marines in Iraq before joining the police department.
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