Fatal accident takes life of Easton motorcyclist

An Easton man was pronounced dead at the scene of a fatal accident that pinned him under a fuel truck in West Bridgewater. The 57-year-old victim was riding his motorcycle when the truck crossed the street after exiting the north lot of a waste collection and disposal service in order to enter the company's south lot. The 9-1-1 call was made at 10:21 a.m. and alerted police to a motorcycle pinned under a truck. The caller identified the truck as belonging to the waste disposal service located on the street on which the fatal accident occurred, but the company's terminal manager later denied that the truck belonged to them.

West Bridgewater and Massachusetts State Police closed the street for several hours during the on-scene investigation. An accident reconstruction team worked the area in an attempt to determine what exactly happened when the deceased's Honda motorcycle was hit by the truck. The driver of the fuel truck was arrested during the police investigation into the fatal accident.

The arrested truck driver was charged on three counts. One of the charges relates to his truck not having the ignition interlock device which is required for drivers who have previously lost their license due to drunk driving. The 27-year-old driver of the truck involved in the fatal accident was determined to have a previous history of operating under the influence.

Police are continuing the investigation, and the family of the motorcyclist killed in the fatal accident has so far declined to comment. The family of the deceased Massachusetts man may file against the truck driver for civil remedies in the form of a wrongful death suit involving the loss of a loved one. In the case of a fatal accident, monetary damages can be awarded in a wrongful death suit to compensate for loss of support, expenses, and the emotional pain suffered by family members. To prevail, the surviving family will need to prove that the truck driver negligently caused or contributed to the death of their loved one.

Source: EnterpriseNews.com, "Easton man killed after motorcycle crash in West Bridgewater," Erin Shannon and Jennifer Bray, June 23, 2013