RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – The defense attorney for a man accused of causing a fatal crash involving a Rutland police trainee is questioning murder charges following an internal investigation that found the officer’s supervisors directly contributed to the chase that caused her death.
Nineteen-year-old Jessica Ebbighausen was on her fifth official day at work in July 2023 when she was killed after police say Tate Rheaume struck her cruiser during a police chase. Rheaume has been charged with aggravated murder.
“I think the state, by charging Tate with aggravated murder, has unfairly tried to demonize him,” said David Sleigh, Rheaume’s attorney. He says an internal police investigation made public last week changes how he’ll approach his defense. “There may be some depositions that have to be retaken in light of revelations of the IA report. But once discovery is complete, I think you can expect some dispositive motions like a motion to dismiss.”
The report states multiple officers violated vehicle and pursuit policies when they took off after Rheaume and failed to make sure everyone was wearing a seatbelt. Ebbighausen was not buckled up.
“To suggest that he was the only person who had a hand in Jessica Ebbighausen’s death in that crash — and it’s apparent from the Rutland City Police Department’s own assessment of their conduct — that that’s just not true,” Sleigh said.
Penny Shtull, a criminology professor at Norwich University, says police pursuits should only happen if fleeing suspects are violent offenders. “Police officers, in initiating a pursuit, have to believe that the pursuit is necessary or outweighs the risk to public safety,” She said. “In general, police pursuits are supposed to be initiated if there is a violent crime or violent criminal that needs to be apprehended.”
Sleigh says the new report backs that up, claiming pursuit policies were violated and that Rheaume had no criminal record. “One of those elements is that Tate was fleeing a lawful pursuit. I think now the weight of evidence demonstrates the contrary,” he said.
Rutland City Police and the police commission chair have not commented on the report. Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan confirmed he will still pursue aggravated murder charges regardless of the report’s conclusions.
Rheaume’s trial is not expected to begin until next year.
