Police officer driving while watching YouTube kills cyclist

An American police officer involved in a collision that killed a Vermont cyclist in November was speeding and allegedly watching a YouTube video at the time.

NBC reported that court documents reveal new details in the case against Shelburne Police Sgt. Kyle Kapitanski, charged with grossly negligent operation causing death in the collision that killed cyclist Sean Hayes.

Hayes, 38, of Burlington, Vt., died at the scene of the collision. The fatal incident occurred on the morning of Nov. 11, 2024.

Kapitanski was travelling 8 km/h. over the speed limit at the time of the collision, court documents state. An autopsy determined Hayes died from blunt force trauma to the head. Earlier in March, a judge ruled there was probable cause to charge Kapitanski with gross negligence. His lawyer attempted to have the charge dismissed, arguing that prosecutors cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that his speed constituted gross negligence.

Court documents reveal Kapitanski was using his department-issued tablet to watch YouTube just before the collision. Body camera footage shows him switching from YouTube to a dispatch program shortly after the collision.

Kapitanski was cited last month following an investigation by Vermont State Police. Detective Sgt. Steven Gelder said that Kapitanski, driving south on Shelburne Road in South Burlington around 2:40 a.m., called dispatch to report hitting “possibly a person.” Neither his body-worn camera nor the cruiser dashcam captured the deadly moment, but the body camera recorded some post-collision events. According to Gizmodo, the officer was watching a video featuring controversial podcaster, Matt Walsh.

Hayes leaves behind two young daughters. A GoFundMe has been set up, and as of Wednesday, it has raised $24,700. It states that, “Sean was full of life, laughter, and kindness. He would do anything for anybody that needed help.”

Kapitanski is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday to face the charges.