WALTHAM, Mass. — Authorities announced Wednesday that a pickup truck driver involved in a tragic incident that led to the death of a police officer and a utility worker in a Boston suburb is facing serious charges, including two counts of second-degree murder. Peter Simon, 54, from Woodsville, New Hampshire, has also been indicted on charges such as motor vehicle homicide, armed robbery, armed carjacking, eluding police, and leaving the scene of a deadly crash following the events that unfolded in Waltham on December 6.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s office and local police detailed that Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey, 58, and a National Grid utility worker, Roderick Jackson, 36, both lost their lives in the collision that occurred at a work site. Simon, the driver accused of causing the fatalities, is set to face arraignment at a later date and is currently being held without bail.
Notably, the tragic incident unfolded as Simon allegedly attempted a U-turn on a road in Waltham. Prosecutors and law enforcement officials reported that Simon struck another vehicle while trying to make the turn, only to continue driving and subsequently collide with Tracey and Jackson at a work site marked by safety indicators and warnings. Tracey was on duty for a police detail when the fatal crash occurred.
After hitting a National Grid truck and several other vehicles, Simon allegedly fled the scene on foot, brandishing a knife at a police officer before stealing the officer’s cruiser and driving away. However, his attempt to evade authorities was short-lived as he eventually crashed the stolen cruiser and was promptly apprehended.
Waltham, located approximately 10 miles west of Boston, was left mourning the loss of two community members due to the tragic sequence of events on that fateful day in December. Simon’s attorney, Lynda Dantas, expressed that she had not yet seen the indictments and was unable to provide any comment on the case. The upcoming legal proceedings will shed more light on the details surrounding the indictment and the fate of the accused driver.