Retired Glocester, MA, Fire Lieutenant Hit by Police Cruiser, Dies
The Sun, Lowell, Mass.
(TNS)
LOWELL — The pedestrian struck by a Lowell Police cruiser on Wilder Street on UMass Lowell’s South Campus last week died from his injuries on Wednesday night.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said in a press release on Thursday that the man was 60-year-old Daniel Kennedy, a Billerica resident, a retired Gloucester Fire Department lieutenant and a student at UMass Lowell.
His colleagues at the Gloucester Fire Department said Kennedy was also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had returned to college after retirement with hopes of working with veterans on mental-health issues.
According to authorities, a police cruiser was traveling northbound on Wilder Street, before Bachelder Street, at about 6:20 p.m. Feb. 5 when it struck Kennedy, who was walking northbound in the same lane of travel.
Kennedy was airlifted to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, where he was pronounced dead on Wednesday night.
Authorities said the officer driving the cruiser — who has not been identified — was taken to Lowell General Hospital with minor injuries.
Gloucester Firefighters Local 762 mourned Kennedy’s death in a statement on Facebook on Thursday, stating they were “shocked and devastated.”
“Brother Kennedy re-enrolled in college after retirement with the intent to work with veterans and their mental health, as Dan himself was a proud Desert Storm Veteran of the United States Marines,” the post stated. “Dan had a huge heart and truly committed to life of service. Our thoughts are with Christina, Grace and Laura.”
The Facebook tribute was accompanied by a smiling photo of Kennedy in uniform.
A student who witnessed the crash near the McGauvran Center said from the scene that the impact was sudden and violent.
“It was a pretty loud thud when the guy hit the cruiser,” said Cole Richards, who was heading toward the bus stop near the McGauvran Center at the time.
A backpack believed to belong to Kennedy was seen sitting in the roadway in front of the cruiser, which was marked “patrol supervisor” and “S5.”
There was no crosswalk in the area where Kennedy was struck.
An investigation into the incident remains active and is being conducted by State Police detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the State Police Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and State Police Crime Scene Services.
UMass Lowell issued a statement shortly after the crash acknowledging the incident and offering support to students who witnessed it. Counseling services were made available on campus the following day.
The Lowell Police Department declined to comment on the status of the officer involved.
Second pedestrian crash
News of Kennedy’s death came less than two hours after another pedestrian crash was reported at UMass Lowell on Thursday — one week after the incident that injured him.
The latest pedestrian crash occurred at Aiken and Perkins streets on East Campus at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. According to the Lowell Police, two pedestrians were struck. One suffered minor injuries and was not hospitalized, while the other was transported to Lowell General Hospital with injuries described as not life‑threatening.
Emergency radio broadcasts indicated the injured pedestrian was initially unconscious but breathing at the scene.
Personal belongings were scattered in the roadway near a crosswalk, and police blocked off the intersection to traffic until about 4:15 p.m.
The incident remains under investigation.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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