Hit and Rahn

What we know about a Greece police sergeant's connection to a hit and run accident on a Greece expressway leaves us asking more questions.

We know that, according to authorities, Sgt. Nicholas Joseph was off-duty, driving down Interstate 390 in the early morning of June 7 when he suddenly encountered two vehicles. Joseph evaded one that had swerved out of the way to avoid a stalled car on the side of the highway. Investigators say Joseph did not avoid the stalled vehicle. His vehicle rear-ended that car.

Its driver, a pregnant woman, was rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital where she had to prematurely deliver her child.

Joseph, according to authorities, left the scene. Greece police officers, who responded to the accident, did not proceed with any form of criminal investigation.

We know that Joseph is on what authorities called sick leave. He was apparently injured in the crash. However, Joseph, according to authorities, was not taken to a hospital at the time of the accident. Had he sought care, Joseph would have been able to legally leave the scene of the crash.

While New York State Police investigate what Greece police never did, Greece's police chief ordered an internal investigation into the matter.

Chief Merritt Rahn told a Rochester TV station he was embarrassed by his department's handling of the hit and run and that it didn't look good. Rahn told News10NBC he should have been notified and that mistakes were made.

Rahn would not return our calls for comment Wednesday evening. When he does, here are the questions he'll hear us ask:

When did you learn about the accident? What was your first response? What did your officers do when they arrived at the scene of the accident? Why didn't Sgt. Joseph go directly to the hospital? When he went, who took him?

Rahn may be as powerful a public servant as there is in the Rochester area. As Greece's police chief for 17 years, little happens without him knowing about it, especially when it happens within his police force of more than 90 officers.

This could be a major story with long-term negative impact for Greece's police department. The civil implications of not only Joseph's alleged actions, but those of the Greece police department, could be just the start of it.

Another part of the story sure to evolve in the coming days; Rahn's relationship with Joseph. The two are close. Rahn's a family friend . He worked with Joseph's father, Lt. Al Joseph, when the two served together in the Rochester police force.

The senior Joseph's renowned for his book "We Get Confessions," which teaches interviewing and interrogation techniques. Could come in handy for Rahn in his department's review of the case.


And reporters covering the story.