March crash was ‘avoidable and preventable’

Batavia Police Chief Gary Schira has disciplined a police officer stemming from a March 30 crash between a squad car and a pickup truck.

The officer received a 1½-day unpaid suspension, Schira said, adding that the crash was “avoidable and preventable.”

No traffic citations will be issued to Officer Scott Mercil, the chief said.

The crash happened at 9:06 p.m. at Randall Road and McKee Street. According to a traffic crash report, Mercil was following a vehicle that he was considering pulling over. When that vehicle turned left on to McKee, Mercil followed immediately, and did not see a northbound pickup truck. The truck hit the rear passenger door of the police car.

The police car’s lights and sirens were not activated, according to the report.

Mercil and the three occupants of the pickup truck — a 25-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl — were taken to Delnor Hospital in Geneva. The injuries were not serious, according to Batavia Deputy Chief Dan Eul.

Mercil has worked for Batavia for 11 years, and Schira said he is “an excellent officer.”

An investigation into another Batavia police-related crash is ongoing.

On April 12, officers were called to an emergency on North Lincoln Street. A sergeant driving a department sport utility vehicle westbound on Houston Street did not come to a complete stop at the two-way stop at Lincoln and hit a squad car that was northbound on Lincoln. The collision sent the squad car into a tree on the west side of Lincoln, according to a traffic crash report.

The city is waiting for word from its insurance adjuster as to whether the three vehicles will be repaired or declared totally damaged.