Greece Police Chief Drew Forsythe has been placed on leave by the town as an investigation begins into the crash that wrecked his department-issued SUV last week.
Greece Supervisor Bill Reilich placed Forsythe on leave Saturday. Deputy Chief Jason Helfer is acting chief.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the crash, in which Forsythe says he hit guardrail while swerving to avoid a deer on Route 390 North near Latona Road. The impact knocked out his police radio and sent his cellphone flying so that he couldn’t find it.
The chief then limped the damaged car off the expressway and drove it to English and North Greece Roads, where the department says the radio started working again and he reported the accident. The department says Forsythe was trying to reach Greece Police Headquarters near Long Pond and Latta Roads.