A late-night effort to clear packed snow from a car on the Massachusetts Turnpike turned deadly Monday (Feb. 23), when a Connecticut man was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on the westbound side of the highway in Hopkinton.
Massachusetts State Police identified the victim as 35-year-old Patrick Sarpong of Vernon, Conn. The crash unfolded as a major winter storm made travel hazardous across the region and officials were urging people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
Troopers were called to Interstate 90 west at the 104.6-mile marker in Hopkinton around 11:15 p.m., and authorities say Sarpong was standing on the edge of the roadway when a passing tractor-trailer hit him, according to The Boston Globe and local reporting. NBC Boston reported state police said he was pronounced dead at the scene, while other outlets described him being taken to a nearby hospital; details vary as the investigation continues.
State response and road restrictions
As the storm intensified, Gov. Maura Healey's office and MassDOT put travel limits in place for parts of the South Coast and temporarily reduced the speed limit on the Mass Pike to 40 mph while crews battled the snow, according to a state press release. The state urged people to avoid nonessential driving so plows and emergency responders could work safely, per Mass.gov.
Investigation and unanswered questions
State police say the crash remains under investigation and have not released any information about the tractor-trailer driver or whether charges might be filed, according to reporting from The Boston Globe. Local emergency responders, including Westborough fire and EMS, went to the scene; outlets reported crews treated Sarpong before he was removed from the roadway, per CT Insider.
Safety takeaways for drivers
Officials have repeatedly stressed that abandoned or stuck vehicles can become serious obstacles for plows and first responders, and they urged people to stay off the roads during the storm. The governor's travel advisory underscored those concerns, per Mass.gov. If you do have to stop, authorities advise pulling as far as possible out of the travel lanes, turning on hazard lights, and calling for help instead of standing beside your vehicle on a busy highway.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Massachusetts State Police. The agency has not released additional details while the investigation continues.
