North Chelmsford Woman Charged in Crash that Injured Pepperell Officer

A Pepperell police sergeant is recovering at home and a North Chelmsford woman is facing a number of charges after police say she struck the sergeant’s marked cruiser while driving drunk Saturday morning.

Rosemary Miller, 21, of North Chelmsford has been charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and failure to yield at an intersection. Miller’s male passenger at the time of the crash fled the scene, witnesses told police. The passenger’s identity is known to police, but they do not yet know why he fled, according to a press release.

Pepperell Police Sgt. Nick Parker was driving his marked cruiser eastbound on Main Street in Pepperell at about 12:25 a.m. Saturday when he was struck by a 2000 Honda Accord. Witnesses told police that the Honda never slowed as it accessed Main Street at the intersection with Carter and Pleasant and collided with the front end of Parker’s cruiser.

The collision sent the Accord spinning and pushed Parker’s cruiser nearly 150 off the road, narrowly missing a nearby business and row of gas meters, according to a press release.

The severe front-end damage temporarily trapped Parker in his vehicle, according to police. The driver of the vehicle traveling behind Parker helped the sergeant exit via the passenger door. Parker was then transported to Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer with minor injuries.

Miller is scheduled for arraignment Monday in Ayer District Court.

Photo credit: Pepperell Police Department