Paul Clement gets five-10 years in hit-and-run death of Air National Guard chief

Paul Clement; inset, Brig. Gen. John Pogorek, (Clment, Roochester Police photo; Pogorek Courtesy)

DOVER - The Rochester man found guilty in the death of New Hampshire's Air National Guard Commander in 2024 was sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison on Friday.

Paul Clement, 82, was found guilty of negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and aggravated DUI following a jury trial in November. He could have been sentenced to more than 20 years.

Hours after the accident his blood alcohol level registered 0.123, well over the .80 legal limit.

The fatal hit-and-run that took the life of Brig. Gen. John Pogorek, 57, of Strafford, occurred on July 8, 2024, around 5:20 p.m. in the area of Crown Point Road in Rochester. When officers arrived at the scene they 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 resecuring the strap a vehicle driven by Clement struck Pogorek. Clement never stopped the vehicle and continued on.
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. Soon after Police located Clement and the vehicle, which 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."
During a five-day trial defense lawyers argued that Clement suffered from a condition called hypnatremia, which can produce similar symptoms to impairment.
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.

Clement apologized to the Pogorek family on Friday.

"It is devastating for me to know that I am responsible for the suffering, but I know that I am. I am so very sorry," Clement told the Union Leader. "I'm so ashamed that I've hurt so many people."