Authorities in Waltham, Massachusetts have arrested a 54-year-old driver accused of killing an officer and a utility worker in a crime spree that also saw him carjacking a police cruiser on Wednesday.
Police said a pickup truck driver crashed into a police officer and a utility worker killing both and wounding two other utility workers.
“Multiple other vehicles” were struck by the pickup truck before the suspect stepped out, threatened another Waltham officer with a knife, and stole his cruiser.
“Clearly what happened is an unimaginable tragedy,” said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.
“These two men were doing their job at 4 o’clock in the afternoon when they were killed and crashes like this happen far too often.”|
Police arrested the suspect after a crash. He was hit with two counts of manslaughter and armed robbery.
Ryan identified the victims as Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey, 58, and a 36-year-old National Grid worker.
Tracey, a 28-year veteran of the force, was working a police detail at the utility work site when he was killed.
“He was a compassionate police officer, and always looked out for the underdog,” said Chief Kevin O’Connell of the fallen officer.
