Jury selection begins today for negligent homicide trial in death of Pease chief

Paul Clement; inset, John Pogorek, commander of the New Hampshire Air National Guard (Clement/Rochester Police; Pogorek/courtesy)

ROCHESTER - Jury selection begins today for the trial of a Rochester man accused of negligent homicide in the death of a beloved commander of the New Hampshire Air National Guard in July of last year.
Paul Clement, 82, is facing up to 15 years in state prison if found guilty. An alternative charge of conduct after an accident: death resulting would put him behind bars for up to seven years. He is also charged with a DUI.
Clement was arrested in August of last year after the alleged hit-and-run that occurred on July 8 took the life of John Pogorek, 57, of Strafford.
The accident occurred around 5:20 p.m. on July 8 in the area of Crown Point Road in Rochester where officers who responded were told that Pogorek had pulled his truck and trailer to the side of the road to fix a strap that was holding down hay he was hauling. While re-securing the strap a vehicle struck Pogorek. The suspect vehicle did not stop and continued traveling down the road, according to police. Pogorek was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Not long after the accident, police received a tip that Clement was the driver of the vehicle that struck Pogorek. Police located Clement and the vehicle, and the vehicle was impounded.
An indictment handed down in October 2024 accused Clement of driving "under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or a controlled drug ... while operating a motor vehicle."
Pogorek was named commander of the New Hampshire Air National Guard in 2022, and his duties included keeping Adj. General David J. Mikolaities and former Gov. Chris Sununu apprised of all matters related to the New Hampshire Air National Guard. He was also responsible for all operations at the base.
In September Club Victoire of Rochester lost its liquor license for at least 20 days following the New Hampshire Liquor Commission's ruling that it overserved alcohol to several patrons including to Clement the day of Pogorek's death.

The trial is expected to begin on Nov. 17.