A Washington County Sheriff’s deputy has been placed on unpaid leave after being accused of leaving the scene of a car collision that he was allegedly involved in on Saturday.
According to Berlin police, which responded to the call, an investigation identified deputy George Hotchkiss, 74, as the driver of the Washington County Sheriff’s cruiser seen leaving the accident, which occurred in the parking lot of a Berlin Walmart.
Berlin Chief of Police James Pontbriand said Hotchkiss backed into a vehicle parked in the Walmart lot before driving away.
“My understanding was he was on his way to work with the vehicle and hadn’t signed on quite yet,” Pontbriand said. “He was attending to personal business.”
Hotchkiss has been placed on unpaid leave pending the results of further investigation by Berlin police, according to a post on the Washington County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page. He is expected at the Washington Superior criminal court on July 6 at 8:30 a.m., according to Berlin police.
