See Video Of Westmont Police Crash

WESTMONT, IL – Often, a driver who rear-ends another gets cited on a charge of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

But a Westmont officer escaped that charge last month after she rear-ended another squad car as they responded to a call, public records show. Police have not explained why that is the case.

The investigation was not independent; it was conducted by the Westmont Police Department.

On Wednesday, Westmont police released videos from the crash in response to Patch's public records request. But they kept body camera videos under wraps, citing exceptions under the open records law.

Westmont police cited Niel Weerakoon, 48, of Downers Grove, on a charge of failing to yield to an emergency vehicle shortly after midnight July 16 on Ogden Avenue near Stonegate Road. When Weerakoon saw the eastbound squad car with the flashing lights behind him, he stopped where he was, in the left lane, rather than move to the right.

Officer Erik Santiago, who was behind Weerakoon, stopped in time. But the officer following him, Hunter Vincent, did not, striking Santiago's car. In the video, Vincent did not seem to slow down as she approached Santiago's car and crashed into him.

In an email to Patch on Thursday, Westmont Police Chief Jim Gunther said Santiago's dashboard camera video showed Weerakoon failed to properly yield to an emergency vehicle. He said the incident was under internal review.

"Appropriate discipline will be administered as a result of any sustained policy violations," Gunther said.

The chief said the incident was properly investigated by command staff, following policy. Officer shootings and in-custody deaths, he said, are the types of incidents handled by outside investigative agencies. He said the crash did not rise to that level.

About four hours after the crash, Westmont police Sgt. Kristina Dominguez emailed Deputy Police Chief Stephen Thompson. She said Santiago and Vincent were leaving a call at Jewel to respond to a disturbance at Chicago Club Inn and Suites, less than a half mile from the crash.

Santiago indicated he had to slow down significantly when he approached Weerakoon's car, Dominguez said. Santiago reported he was going about 60 mph. The limit is 35 mph.

Dominguez said Vincent could not slow down enough or stop in time to avoid striking Santiago. After being struck, Santiago's vehicle jumped the median, ran over a tree and spun around, landing in the westbound lanes of Ogden, the sergeant said. Vincent's car spun around in the eastbound lanes.

Both officers went to Good Samaritan Hospital because of the severity of the crash, police said.

"They are both back to work and doing well," the chief said in the email.

Both squad cars were reported as being totaled.

According to the police report, Weerakoon said he did not know what to do when he saw the blue lights and was unsure if he was being stopped.