On Monday (1120) at approximately 8:15 am in the Town of Macedon, Macedon Police Chief Fabian Rivera, age 52, of Eagles Roost Lane in the Town of Walworth was involved in a property damage motor vehicle collision at the entrance to the Gananda development at the Gananda Parkway and Waterford Road while operating his patrol vehicle.
There were no injuries reported because of the collision however, the patrol vehicle he was operating had considerable front-end damage and was towed from the scene.
During the course of the investigation, it was suspected that Chief Rivera was intoxicated. Macedon Police Sergeant Brigette Goodfriend allegedly took Rivera to his home, failing to follow police procedures.
Macedon Town Supervisor Kim Leonard could not share details about Goodfriend’s involvement, but indicated there are "questions" about the police response.
Rivera, still very intoxicated, entered his house at Eagle’s Roost Lane in Walworth, grabbed the keys to his personal vehicle and began driving away.
The Macedon Police Department requested the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office to assist with the investigation and Rivera was stopped on Eagle Roost Lane at 11:45 a.m., where he was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated, Aggravated DWI and operating a Motor Vehicle with a BAC of .25%, over three time the legal limit. He was issued appearance tickets for the Town of Walworth Court.
Macedon Police then also charged Rivera with DWI involving the crash in Gananda in the Town of Macedon.
Upon learning of the arrest of their police chief, the Macedon Town Board held a special meeting on Monday night to discuss the matter in an exective session/personnel situation.
Following the meeting, Macedon Town Supervisor Kim Leonard issued a press release indicating that, due to the ongoing investigation, the Town of Macedon has no further comment at that time. She later stated that she had yet to see the Macedon Police reports involving the incident with Rivera and Goodfriend
Monday’s crash came less than a year after Rivera went out on a voluntary unpaid leave following an incident at Flaherty’s Restaurant in Macedon December 10, 2022 in which Rivera was intoxicated, and fell repeatedly in the bar, injuring himself and insulted and threatening Flaherty’s staff.
Flaherty’s refused to press charges from the incident. While deputies and medical personnel were handling the situation, Rivera reportedly continued his tirades, reportedly stating the low quality of Wayne County Deputies compared to the Rochester Police Department.
Rivera went from the U.S. Army to join the Rochester City Police Department, retiring from there in 2020, then becoming the Chief of Public Safety at Monroe Community College.
He started as the Macedon Police Chief in March 2020 after a review of eleven candidates for the position.
He later apologized for his actions from December 10, 2022, stating that he was struggling with mental health issues and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) from his combat years in Iraq and has
Rivera indicated that he already reached out for help and was " battling demons, like many veterans."
Rivera took unpaid leave as Chief of the Macedon Police. In late February Rivera was reinstated with promises to get his alcoholism under control and attend regular Alcohol Anonymous (AA) meetings.
According to Macedon Supervisor, Kim Leonard, Rivera was making great strides in changes within the department.
On Tuesday (11/21) evening the Macedon Town Board held another special meeting to discuss the situation concerning Rivera and the handling of the arrests. After opening the meeting to the press and public, the Board passed four resolutions:
• RESOLVED the Macedon Town Board accepts the resignation of Macedon Police Chief, Fabian Rivera, effective immediately.
• RESOLVED that Sergeant Adam Husk be appointed as Officer-In-Charge of the Macedon Police Department with an additional $15,000.00 prorated per year effective 11/20/2023.
• RESOLVED the Town’s legal counsel do an internal investigation into the Macedon Police Department’s handling of the incident of the former Macedon Police Chief, Fabian Rivera, on 11/20/2023.
• RESOLVED the Town Board hereby suspends Sergeant Brigette Goodfriend with pay pending the outcome of the Town’s Internal Investigation into the Macedon Police Department’s incident on 11/20/2023 involving former Chief Fabian Rivera.
The Times news partner 13WHAM discovered that Rivera was removed on Tuesday from the Board of the Veteran’s Outreach Center in Rochester.
