Trooper charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident



﻿Brian Beardsley was charged Tuesday evening with leaving the scene of a fatal accident after police said he drove over a Fulton County man on Sunday and left the scene. The veteran trooper pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Broadalbin Town Court.

Fulton County Sheriff Thomas J. Lorey said police believe the dead man, Chad E. Finch, 29, of South Shore Road in the Town of Providence, was alive when Beardsley’s car struck him.

Bryan Fitzgerald reports:

After the court appearance, Beardsley’s attorney Ron Schur said, “We’re very sorry for the family but things aren’t always what they seem.” Schur said they believe Finch was already dead on the ground when the vehicle hit his body.

Beardsley “was probably not at fault because the victim was lying down on a dark road at the time of the accident,” Lorey said, “but he did leave after hitting him.”

“Because he is law enforcement, he is held to a higher standard. He should have known better than to leave the scene,” he said.

Finch’s brother, Vincent Finch, also questioned the trooper’s actions. “I want to know why (Beardsley) didn’t stay at the scene,” Vincent Finch said. “He might not have been on active duty, but he still should have stayed. I mean, he’s a cop!”

Beardsley was on his way home after spending the evening with friends at a private residence, the sheriff said. He underwent alcohol pre-screening when deputies arrived at his home, and Lorey said they have no reason to believe he had been drinking.

They did not immediately arrest Beardsley Sunday because of the possibility that multiple vehicles were involved, but later ruled that out. Beardsley subsequently turned himself in on Tuesday.

Lorey said a preliminary test showed Finch was “definitely intoxicated,” with a blood alcohol content of at least .20 percent. Further toxicology results will not be available for at least eight weeks.

Vincent Finch told the Times Union his brother was walking home from Kristel’s Lodge, a bar about 2 miles away from Chad Finch’s South Shore Road home.

“His best friend played music there and he would always invite us and everyone else he knew to come watch,” Vincent Finch said.

“My brother was a good man,” Finch said. “He made more friends than he made enemies.”

Earlier Tuesday, Beardsley, who is based in the Mayfield barracks, was suspended without pay from the State Police.

Read the full story here.

An article on the accident that appeared in Tuesday’s paper can be read here.

Categories: General
Bryan Fitzgerald

21 Responses

  1. Ron says:

    Imagine if Chad E. Finch’s life could have been saved if Brian Beardsley had the human decency to stop his car. We’ll never know.

  2. disgusted says:

    First, The Times Union should be ashamed of the coverage these reporters gave to this story. Keying in on the victim’s past DWI’s has nothing to do with some scum cop taking off from a body on the side of the road. Let’s face it, this punk cop wasn’t coming from church at 2:40 am. No one will convince me this guy wasn’t drinking because why else does anyone, let alone a cop leave a scene? Is this the type of guy you want showing up if your in trouble? Every last scum cop is no good it’s just a matter of to what degree. Drink and drive…no problem….talk on their cell phone while problem.. speed when they’re off duty because no one will ticket them…no problem.. Another words they can do whatever they want. We don’t have any proof he was given a breathylizer and even if he did take one it was way too long afterwards. What a joke LAW ENFARCEMENT

  3. Charlie says:

    Gee, if he had drove home he would still be alive. Come on MADD What say you???

  4. Bamster says:

    Unless you are driving to work, this story proves once again that nothing good happens at 2:41 AM on a Sunday morning.

  5. J Lee says:

    Toxicology report for the victim? What about toxicology report for the trooper? Was blood taken or are we supposed to take the word of other cops that he wasnt drinking? Private party? I can smell the white wash from here. The victim was laying in the road? How do we know this? If this was the case why did he run? It will be easy to trace the locaton of where the girlfriend placed the 911 call. Photos of the troopers vehicle will definatively tell if the victim was laying in the road or standing when he was hit. If they even bothered to take photos. Even if you hit a dog in this state you have to stop. The police are definately trying to sweep this under the carpet and will let the dust settle and the DA will under charge him and he will go on making arrests for DWI’s. The famile should hire their own investigator and demand answers and thats the only way they will get answers because the police are doing everything they can to make this go away…..

  6. Chris says:

    We all know how this story ends. It takes a year or so to get the trial started, and then the Trooper walks away clean as a whistle. Time will dull everyone’s feelings except the family. And clearly the State Police are not interested in the feelings of this or any other family. The people who work for the police dept. are no different from you and I. They are no more special because they chose to do the job they do. Chances are, they were given the job anyway, through nepotism. Out of shape, alcoholic, high school grads. Thats todays police departments folks.

  7. OhNoYouDon't says:

    I sincerely hope the Public at large keeps a close on the trial. . Miller drives drunk IN A ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE without the LIGHTS on and get’s to keep his job? Now, a blatant hit and run, and we have to take the Sherrif’s word on whether Beardsly was under the influence. Not good … I feel a revolution coming on.

  8. tom baker says:

    Mr. Beardsley’s best course of action is to make a clean breast of the incident right now. You don’t have to be psychic to connect the dots.

    He stopped and determined that the victim was deceased. If he were completely clean he could stay at the accident scene, explain what happened, and the GF would corroborate his story. Then as long as the physical evidence doesn’t contradict them he’s good to go.

    Since he not only didn’t do that but in fact left the scene and attempted to conceal his connection to it, it becomes obvious that he has something to hide. Most likely, alcohol consumption.

    He may not have been intoxicated. Alcohol may not have been a factor in the accident. But if there was any in his system at all, and him being a police officer, and being involved in a fatality, his career is at the least in extreme jeopardy if not his freedom.

    Man up, tell the entire truth, show remorse, and take whatever is coming to you.

    We know he was with his GF when the incident occurred.

  9. mav says:

    future mall cop w/lutz

  10. NurseKaren says:

    Sad, but the police in this country have gotten to think they are far, far, far above the law in America. People are seething over this and other behavior that insults our idea of fairness. They are really losing public sympathy with the “good ol’ boy” coverup-for-each-other game. We all know it goes on, and we all know they flaunt the law so willfully and brazenly. Shorten the leash- They are NOT a special class of citizen! We WANT to back them, but they have lost our sympathy and we now see them as a class of people to mistrust.

  11. jim m says:

    protect and serve , yeah right why didnt he stop, if didnt do anything wrong? another black spot on the police again

  12. women2011 says:

    Have to say that everyone should let the courts take care of this problem and everyone else stop convicting him! We are all human and everyone out their makes mistakes! Step back and think about what if it was u and u all did that! U wouldn’t want ppl on the internet posting stuff about u. So stop! I have done plenty of trainings with beardsley and he is not the monster u ppl are tryin to make him out to be!!!!!!!!!

  13. MKW says:

    Okay, can you people please read ALL the stories before you start making convictions and assumptions?

    Fact: Fisher left the bar at 1am.
    Fact: Fisher lives 2 miles from the bar.
    Fact: Fisher was suspected to have been hit and killed instantly, around 2am.
    Fact: Beardsley’s girlfriend called 911 at 245am, when her cell phone finally had reception, as that road is notorious for NOT having it.
    Fact: It does not take an hour, much less an hour and 45 minutes, to walk less than 2 miles. This means Fisher was either passed out in the middle of the road, or maybe, SOMEONE ELSE HIT HIM AND FLEE’D THE SCENE FIRST, and Beardsley happened to hit an already deceased body.
    Fact: Beardsley did not “run away”, and was told by police to stay where he was at the time of the 911 call, which was not at the scene.
    Fact: Beardsley did not wash his vehicle, lie about his whereabouts, or otherwise try to hide anything from police.

    All of these facts have been presented in the multitude of articles and broadcasts. I have not invented them, I have not twisted them, and while I have the utmost consideration for the family who has lost a loved one, I also have the utmost respect for the law, the judicial system, and EVIDENCE.

    I personally can’t wait until all of you naysayers and judgmental jerks who feel it’s okay to play judge, jury, and executioner just because you’re reading an article or two wind up choking on your harsh, unfair words.

  14. Myra says:

    Speaking of car accidents, most lawyers will tell you that you must collect the tortfeasors liability before you can collect your SUM claim. However there is nothing written in the law that actually states that. The No-Fault insurance laws in NYS are chaotic, and misinterpreted all the time. There is always two sides of a story, but our great judicial system in NYS find ways to favor the insurance companies and the victim is crucified. Judges, Lawyers, Insurance Companies, Lawyers with a God complex are running everything. What normal person would leave the scene of an accident, unless you are a sociopath or psychopath?

  15. You should all be ashamed says:

    So. Now that he’s been found COMPLETELY INNOCENT by a GRAND JURY, what do all you ignorant, assuming cop-haters have to say for yourselves?

    The sheriff didn’t tell you (or the media) the whole story.

    You’re all a bunch of lemmings.

    You should all be ashamed!

  16. trooper toaster says:

    Google Trooper Toaster……

  17. Mike Lieman says:

    “So. Now that he’s been found COMPLETELY INNOCENT by a GRAND JURY”

    Go retake civics class.

  18. trooper toaster says:

    Yeah Lie man. Re take lie defending class Lieman. What page of the trooper training handbook is that on? Lets put Beardsley on a polygraph. Slithering troopers keep slipping through the cracks dont they? Let me do some cross examination!!!! In 6 cases!! I will BET MY LIFE that I will prove their lies. Too bad I wont have the chance. Karma is going to get em anyways :)

  19. trooper toaster says:

    If Finch hit Beardsley he would have been charged with vehicular manslaughter,leaving the scene of a fatality,dwi,failure to keep right,imprudent speed,and other charges. Then they would have had a big state trooper funeral that costs thousands even if Beardsley was laying in the road,which I don’t believe Finch was. Higher standards for the troopers?? LOL!!! Gutter standards and professional skirting the truth is more like it!!!! Reality!! Who wants to challenge that???

  20. donald says:

    MKW above is either Beardsley’s mother or his girlfriend. Beardsley’s girlfriend is an accomplice to murder. The DA – Louise Sira Kaufman, the Sheriff Tom Lorey and the good old boys and girls republicans and democrats are all corrupt.

  21. trooper toaster says:

    Damned straight donald……She is an accomplice.