A Lowell police officer involved in a fatal cruiser crash near UMass Lowell’s South Campus earlier this month is back on active duty, the department has confirmed. The collision on Feb. 5 left Daniel Kennedy, 60, a retired Gloucester fire lieutenant and UMass Lowell student, critically injured; he later died from his injuries. Even as the officer returns to patrol, investigators say their work is still very much ongoing and the city is mourning the loss of a longtime public servant.
What investigators say
According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, the crash happened at about 6:23 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, when a marked Lowell Police cruiser traveling northbound on Wilder Street struck a pedestrian near UMass Lowell’s South Campus. The pedestrian was identified as Daniel Kennedy, 60, of Billerica.
The DA’s office said Kennedy was transported to Lahey Hospital, where he died nearly a week later. State Police detectives assigned to the DA’s office and the State Police Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Section are assisting in the investigation. The incident was initially reported by Hoodline.
Officer returned to patrol
A Lowell Police Department spokesperson confirmed that the officer driving the cruiser has been restored to duty, while emphasizing that the crash remains under investigation. The department has said no criminal charges have been filed at this time.
Officials have told reporters it is still unclear whether the cruiser was responding to a call at the time of the crash or whether Kennedy was in a crosswalk when he was struck. The officer was treated for minor injuries after the collision, according to WCVB.
Community remembers Kennedy
Kennedy had retired following a long career with the Gloucester Fire Department and had re-enrolled at UMass Lowell, where he planned to work on veterans’ mental-health issues. The Gloucester Firefighters Local 762 described his death as “shocking and devastating,” and UMass Lowell said counseling resources were offered to students and staff who witnessed the crash.
Friends and former colleagues remembered Kennedy as a devoted public servant and family man, according to reporting by NBC Boston.
Investigation and next steps
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office says Massachusetts State Police detectives, crash reconstruction specialists and Crime Scene Services are all assisting with the active investigation into the collision. Lowell police have reiterated that no criminal charges have been filed so far, and investigators have not provided a timeline for when their review will conclude.
Officials have declined to release the officer’s name while the probe continues. Once the investigative work is finished, the DA’s office says it will review the evidence and determine what, if any, further action to take.
