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Police: Chief MacNamara, Baby OK After Three-Car Crash In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Chief of Police Gary MacNamara remained at Yale-New Haven Hospital in fair condition Tuesday afternoon after his 2014 Ford police cruiser was rear-ended at a red light at Reef Road and Route 1 earlier in the day.

Press Conference with Lt. James Perez.

Photo Credit: Salvatore Trifilio
Police Chief Gary MacNamara's unmarked car was hit by a Fairfield woman driving a BMW X3 north on Reef Road, earlier Tuesday.

Police Chief Gary MacNamara's unmarked car was hit by a Fairfield woman driving a BMW X3 north on Reef Road, earlier Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Fairfield Police
An orange cone sits about 15 feet from the brick wall where the BMW X3 that struck Chief of Police Gary MacNamara's unmarked police vehicle, made contact with a light post on the Firehouse Deli patio.

An orange cone sits about 15 feet from the brick wall where the BMW X3 that struck Chief of Police Gary MacNamara's unmarked police vehicle, made contact with a light post on the Firehouse Deli patio.

Photo Credit: Salvatore Trifilio

MacNamara seems to be in "good spirits," when he spoke with the police chief in New Haven, Lt. James Perez said.

"He was more concerned about everyone else who was involved," Perez said.

The crash sent MacNamara back into his seat, into the steering wheel and back into the seat a second time, dislodging the driver's seat, Perez said.

The police chief was wearing his seat belt at the time and was in an unmarked vehicle specially made by Ford for police operations and to safely sustain a hit of this kind, said Perez.

The accident happened at 9:21 a.m. near the crosswalk that connects the sidewalks in front of the Sherman Green and Victoria's Secret on Post Road in the center of town.

A Fairfield woman driving a 2014 BMW X3, with her 7-month-old child aboard, hit MacNamara's vehicle as a result of distracted driving, Perez said.

"At this time we don't know if the accident was caused because of a medical condition or actual distracted driving," Perez said.

He confirmed that the 7-month-old child was not injured in the crash.

"I had a chance to walk the crash site ... it was pretty dramatic. There was pretty significant damage to the police car and the car that hit him," First Selectman Michael Tetreau said in an interview with the Daily Voice.

The force of the collision sent MacNamara's vehicle into a parked Volkswagen, occupied by a Fairfield man who was not injured and did not receive medical treatment, Perez said.

After slamming into the chief's car, the BMW then careened across the roadway, went through the patio at the Firehouse Deli, took down a light pole and hit the brick building that houses Victoria's Secret.

"She was going with enough force that it jarred some bricks loose," Tetreau said.

MacNamara, 49, was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital by ambulance.

"We originally thought he would be observed and released," however, medical staff will run a second round of tests to make sure there are no internal injuries, according to Perez.

It was originally believed that three individuals were taken to St. Vincent's Medical Center, however, Perez clarified that only the driver of the BMW was sent to Bridgeport Hospital.

Police said the cause of the accident remained under investigation.

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