WALTHAM, MA - One of the most dangerous tasks police officers undertake is traffic details, which have gotten even more difficult in the cellphone era. Distracted driving, along with DUI, has been a significant contributor to injury and deaths of police officers working traffic details.
Last week, a police officer in Waltham, Massachusetts, along with a utility worker for electric supplier National Grid, were killed when the driver of a pickup truck hit both men, as well as several vehicles, on Totten Pond Road in this suburban Boston town.
WMUR in New Hampshire reports that Peter Simon, 54, of Woodsville, New Hampshire, was the driver of the truck that killed the officer, identified as Paul Tracey, 58, of Waltham. Meanwhile, WCVB-5 in Boston identified the National Grid worker as Roderick Jackson, 39, of Cambridge. Two other National Grid workers were injured in the crash but are expected to recover.
“Paul Tracey served this city with distinction. He was a compassionate police officer and always looked out for the underdog. He was an amazing husband, a loving father, and a friend to all, especially the men and women of this police department,” Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell said.
The crash occurred at around 4:00 p.m. Massachusetts State Police said after striking the four men, Simon struck more vehicles before fleeing on foot.
State Police said Simon threatened a responding Waltham officer at knifepoint, then stole his cruiser and fled the scene. Officers pursued Simon, who crashed a short distance away. He again attempted to flee the scene on foot; however, officers were able to catch him and take him into custody.
A woman driving a car struck by Simon told WMUR she was driving by when it happened.
“That’s when a big thud happened, just a big impact. I don’t really know what happened. It was just an impact, loud noise, and when I opened my eyes, my car was kind of tilted, and I could just hear people saying, ‘Call 911, call 911,’” said Maricco Pawar
She was taken to the hospital with a neck sprain.
Jackson’s family was clearly distraught over their family member’s death.
“They took something treasured from us. Can never replace it,” Norma Asprilla, Jackson’s mother, told WCVB. “Behind bars, (Simon) has a life. I don’t have my son. They took our treasure from us. Unforgivable.”
Jackson’s brother, meanwhile, said losing Roderick was a “nightmare.”
“He was the heart of this family,” he said. “This entire family. That’s who he was. Anybody who knows him. The most selfless man ever. Ever. THe most selfless man. He was more than just my brother, he was my father, alright? Understand. That’s the heart of this family. That’s what was taken from us.”
Roderick Jackson was the father of two.
In a statement, National Grid said Jackson was hired in 2021 as a gas operations technician.
“He was a highly respected, talented, and selfless teammate who worked extremely hard, took on extra duties, and had built strong friendships with members on his team. He was always willing to lend a hand, roll up his sleeves, and help a colleague. His loss is deeply felt throughout the company, and he will be sorely missed.”
NBC-10 in Boston said Simon had a lengthy criminal history.
According to court records, Simon was driving a stolen Ford F-150 when he struck Tracy and Jackson. The records further said Simon has displayed a pattern of wild car chases and violence against police officers and had struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues.
In one incident, recalled by Peter Heed, the former top prosecutor in Cheshire County, Simon led police on a wild chase through a busy shopping center in Keene, NH, where officers shot at his truck as he sped through the plaza.
“In trying to get out of the parking lot, he actually drove over a huge grassy median and went flying in the air like you see in the movies,” Heed said. “He went out on the main highway and collided head-on with a local transit bus.”
That incident resulted in two bus riders receiving serious injuries. Simon, however, fled the truck, now on fire, and fled into a nearby business, where he was finally apprehended. A witness described the series of events like a scene from “The Terminator.”
Simon was arraigned on a plethora of charges while wearing a hospital gown. He was not, however, convicted of any crimes. Instead, he was found not guilty due to mental illness and committed to a psychiatric unit at the New Hampshire State Prison.
After being released from the psych unit, Simon continued his violent ways.
In May 2016, he was arrested in Franklin, NH, for a violent altercation with a couple outside their home. The woman told police Simon attempted to kill her husband by strangling him.
“Peter had a power cord around my husband's neck and had him on the ground. My husband’s head was twisted to one side, and he was making gurgling sounds,” the woman told police.
Simon then went to his van and, retrieved a hammer, and threatened the woman while swinging it through the air.
“I’m going to kill you too,” Simon told the woman, according to a police report.
Now apparently free of his mental affliction, Simon pleaded guilty in Merrimack Superior Court to aggravated DUI, disobeying an officer, criminal threatening, and 2nd-degree assault. He was sentenced to two to four years in state prison.
After he was released, Simon was arrested numerous times in New Hampshire. Investigators from NBC 10 also found multiple arrests for Simon out of Kansas and a felony conviction in Montana in 1999. In other words, he didn’t belong anywhere out among the public.
In the Waltham incident, Simon has been charged with two counts of manslaughter and armed robbery, according to authorities. He will likely face additional charges. He was arraigned last Thursday in Waltham District Court.
Funeral services for Off. Paul Tracey will be held on Thursday, Dec. 14, when a wake is planned from 3:00-8:00 pm at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted in Waltham. Funeral services will be held at the same location at 10:00 am Friday, Dec.15, with internment at Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham.
The Jackson family has started a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses. As of Dec. 10, the fund had raised $61,843, well above the goal of $10,000.
Funeral arrangements for Jackson have yet to be announced. A vigil in his honor was held in Cambridge this weekend to mourn his death, WBZ News in Boston reported. Police officers from Waltham attended the memorial vigil and stood alongside Jackson’s family.
This was a tragic event that took the lives of two great men, and we’re here tonight to support Roderick Jackson, his family, and his colleagues at National Grid,” said Waltham Police Captain Jeff Rodley.
Comments