State Police Det. Sgt. killed in crash

WEST GREENWICH, RI (WPRI) - 41 year old Detective Sergeant James D. Dougherty, Jr. was killed in a single car accident in West Greenwich early Sunday morning.

Investigators say Det. Sgt. Dougherty was off duty at the time and driving his own car on Route 3 just before 2 a.m. when he came across a large body of standing water near Wills Swamp Road.

He lost control of the vehicle as it hydroplaned off onto the shoulder of the road and struck a utility pole.

The State Police and West Greenwich Police, Fire and Rescue personnel all responded to the scene.

Det. Sgt. Dougherty, who was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Det. Sgt. Dougherty was a 20 year veteran and assigned to the Division’s Narcotics Unit. His wife, Detective Corporal Diane Dougherty, is an 18 year veteran of the Division assigned to the Detective Bureau and his father, James, Sr., is a retired State Police Lieutenant.