Man Charged in Fatal Hit-And-Run of NH Air National Guard Commander

A New Hampshire man has been charged in the fatal hit-and-run of Brigadier General John Pogorek, a commander of the state’s Air National Guard, authorities said.
Paul Clement, 81, of Rochester, was formally charged by a Strafford County grand jury on October 17 with negligent homicide and fleeing the scene of an accident causing death or injury.
The incident occurred on July 8, as Pogorek, 57, was securing his trailer by the roadside when an SUV struck him and then fled the scene, according to authorities.
Police later located the vehicle and Clement where he was arrested on the conduct charge. He later admitted to police in court documents to having consumed alcohol before the incident.
Following his initial arrest in August, Clement remains free on personal recognizance and is set for arraignment on November 5.
Pogorek’s military career was distinguished by a legacy of service, graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989 and joining the New Hampshire Air National Guard in 1999. Named commander in 2022, he played an advisory role to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, leading all operations at Pease Air National Guard Base and serving as a key figure in the state’s military community.
In June a toddler was killed in a hit-and-run in Hartford, Connecticut, according to police.
The Hartford Police Department previously told Newsweek that “on Monday, June 3, 2024, at approximately 10:55 p.m., Hartford Police patrol officers responded to the area of 36 New Britain Avenue in response to several 911 callers reporting a toddler struck by a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, the toddler, a 1 ½ year old female, was located unresponsive in the roadway.”
They said she had wandered out of the open door of a laundromat and into the road.
Police said the toddler was taken to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
This latest incident comes as motor vehicle deaths are prevalent in the U.S. According to data from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), drivers hit and killed more than 7,500 pedestrians in 2022. The GHSA said this was a 41 year high and up 19 percent since 2019.
Pedestrian fatalities have skyrocketed 77 percent since 2010, compared to 25 percent for all other traffic-related deaths, according to the GHSA.
“Every day, 20 people go for a walk and do not return home,” said GHSA CEO Jonathan Adkins, when the report was released last year. “These are people living their daily lives—commuting to and from school and work, picking up groceries, walking the dog, getting some exercise—who died suddenly and violently.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.