Rutland, Vermont – A Vermont man faced an escalated charge of aggravated murder after a fatal crash last summer which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Rutland City Police Officer Jessica Ebbighausen. Tate Rheaume, accused of driving recklessly at speeds exceeding 80 mph, pleaded not guilty to the new charge during a court appearance. Ebbighausen, who tragically lost her life after being ejected from her cruiser during the pursuit, was pronounced dead at the scene on July 7, 2023.
The prosecutor, Ian Sullivan, asserted that Rheaume’s actions leading up to the crash were “extraordinarily dangerous,” emphasizing that he had driven into oncoming traffic where marked police cruisers were present with their lights on. The pursuit unfolded after Rheaume allegedly broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend, leading to a sequence of events that culminated in the fatal collision.
According to court documents, Rheaume justified not stopping before the crash as he feared it would jeopardize his ambition to join the Marines. This decision ultimately resulted in the high-speed collision, causing injuries to two other officers and leading Rheaume to be hospitalized. The severity of the new charge, which carries a potential life sentence without parole, prompted the judge to deem Rheaume a flight risk.
Despite arguments from Rheaume’s lawyer that he posed no flight risk and had a clean record, the gravity of the charge prevailed in the decision to withhold bail. Ebbighausen, a promising young officer, had only recently started working part-time with the Rutland Police Department and was on track to begin training at the Vermont Police Academy to become a full-time officer.
The devastating incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face in the line of duty and the importance of road safety. As the legal proceedings continue, the community mourns the loss of Officer Ebbighausen and grapples with the implications of the senseless tragedy that unfolded on that fateful summer day.