A Marshfield police officer is on administrative leave as his own department seeks criminal charges against him following a severe head-on collision Sunday on Plain Street.

“No matter who you are or what position you hold, conduct that endangers the public will be addressed through the appropriate legal process,” Marshfield Police Chief Phillip Tavares wrote in a statement.

“To the victims and their families, I want to express my sincere concern and sympathy for what you have endured as a result of this incident. Violations of the law or department policy is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by this department,” Tavares continued.

Tavares confirmed to the Herald that Officer Richard Perry is the officer in question. The department seeks multiple criminal charges against Perryincluding reckless operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of marked lanes violation, and speed greater than reasonable and proper.

The department placed the officer on administrative leave effective immediately as an investigation continues.

The department indicated that more charges could follow after the investigation and after reviewing a toxicology report.

Perry joined the Marshfield Police Department in April 2022, according to a department Facebook post announcing that he had been hired.

Marshfield police responded to multiple reports of a multi-vehicle crash at around 9 p.m. on Plain Street Sunday, following the New England Patriots game.

When police and firefighters arrived they saw that three vehicles had been involved: a Jeep operated by the off-duty officer, a Honda Civic that was overturned, and a Hyundai Elantra.

Perry was able to exit his vehicle on his own while the operator of the Civic needed to be extracted with the use of hydraulic rescue tools, according to a MPD statement.

Both of those drivers were taken to area hospitals with serious injuries, according to the police statement, but those injuries are not believed to be life threatening. The operator of the Elantra was not injured.

Police say that the initial investigation indicates that the off-duty officer driving the Jeep was traveling far too fast in the westbound lane and going over the double-yellow lines in order to pass first a tow truck and then the Elantra. It was during this second passing attempt that the Jeep collided head-on with the Civic which was traveling eastbound.

This is a developing story.