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James Thigpen

Age : 36

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 12/19/2021

Location : W. Water Street and Larchmont Road

City : West Elmira

County : Chemung

State : New York

Agency : Chemung County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Motorcycle driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
A Chemung County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed Thigpen riding a 2018 Honda motorcycle at a high rate of speed on West Water Street. The motorcycle had been reported stolen from Ithaca.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/19/2021, at approximately 7:43 p.m., a Chemung County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed 36-year-old James Thigpen traveling east at a high rate of speed on West Water Street in West Elmira on a 2018 Honda motorcycle that had been reported stolen from Ithaca. The deputy attempted to stop the motorcycle.
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Thigpen initially slowed before turning the motorcycle around and traveling west on West Water Street against the direction of traffic. Police alleged they discontinued the pursuit, with the Sheriff’s Office reporting that the deputy did not continue following Thigpen and instead radioed the county Communications Center concerning the motorcycle.
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Shortly afterward, near West Water Street and Larchmont Road, Thigpen’s motorcycle collided with a 2016 Ford Fusion. Thigpen suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality. No additional injuries were reported in the available accounts.
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DISPOSITION:
No criminal charge or disciplinary finding against the deputy for the deputy’s role in initiating the attempted stop and alleged pursuit was located. The publicly available account identifies the deputy only as a Chemung County Sheriff’s Office deputy and states that police alleged they discontinued the pursuit before the fatal collision.
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LITIGATION:
None found.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.stargazette.com/news/crime/chemung-county-motorcycle-crash-pursuit-deputy/
https://www.wetmtv.com/news/local-news/west-elmira-motorcycle-crash-fatality-chemung-county/
https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2021/12/19/ithaca-man-killed-west-elmira-motorcycle-crash/