Police chief publicly acknowledges hitting pedestrian more than 6 weeks later

WRENTHAM – Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty has publicly acknowledged that she hit a 67-year-old pedestrian with her town-issued SUV – more than a month after the incident.

Rafferty was driving home through Wrentham on the evening of Friday, Feb. 16, she said in a statement issued on Monday, according to WCVB. 

While making a left-hand turn from South Street onto Creek Street, her 2022 Ford Explorer’s headlights shone on the reflective vest of Michael C. Barry. Rafferty said she immediately hit the brakes, but not soon enough, as her vehicle hit and knocked him to the ground. Rafferty rendered aid and called 911 about 6:30 p.m.

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Barry was walking in the crosswalk and using a cane. He owns a home less than 300 feet from this intersection, according to the Wrentham Police Department incident reports provided to The Patriot Ledger.  

Barry was sent to Rhode Island Hospital with a cut on the right side of his head and knee pain.

A Wrentham officer noted that the intersection is “poorly lit with only one fluorescent light.” Rafferty’s car had one white scuff mark on the passenger-side front bumper from either Barry himself or his cane.

Rafferty requested a breathalyzer test, which read 0.00, according to the incident report. She was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Fines for this infraction do not exceed $200.

In the statement more than six weeks later, the police chief said she wanted to “express my sincere and continued concern” for Barry.

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“This was an unfortunate accident,” she said. “Upon further reflection and considering the amount of attention that has been focused on Canton, I should have issued a statement sooner.”

The chief did not explicitly say in her statement what this attention was. But Canton has been the center of a media storm surrounding the case of Karen Read, who has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, Braintree native and Boston police officer John O'Keefe. The 46-year-old was found dead outside of a home in Canton.

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Rafferty became the Canton Police Department’s second female officer in 1989 and was ultimately promoted to chief in June 2022.

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.