Funeral planned for National Grid employee killed in double fatal crash

Over a week after he and a Waltham police officer were struck and killed at a work site on Dec.

6, Roderick Jackson's funeral arrangements were announced on Monday.

Services for the former National Grid employee are scheduled for Saturday, Dec.

16, at St. Paul AME Church in Cambridge, with services between 9 and 11 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m., Jackson's obituary on Legacy[1] said. The church is located on 37 Bishop Allen Drive.

Jackson's funeral will be held two days after that of Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey[3], whose funeral is scheduled for Thursday, Dec.

14, at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church in Waltham from 3 to 8 p.m., according to Brasco & Son Funeral Home[4].

Jackson and Tracey were killed when 54-year-old Woodsville[5] resident Peter Simon drove a truck into a National Grid work site on Totten Pond Road[6] where the officer was working a paid detail, authorities said previously. Two other workers were also injured in the incident.

Simon, 54, of Woodsville, New Hampshire, was charged in Waltham District Court Thursday with two counts of manslaughter and several motor vehicle charges, such as unlicensed operation. He pleaded not guilty and was held without bail[7] pending his dangerousness hearing on Dec.

14.

Jackson's mother and brother were at Simon's court appearance on Thursday. They told reporters outside the courtroom they were completely devastated.

Jackson's brother Manuel Asprilla-Hassan told WBZ[9] that he was "was a legend.

He was the heart of this family, of this entire family."

He started working for National Grid in early 2021 as a gas operations team technician, the energy provider said.

"He was always willing to lend a hand, roll up his sleeves and help a colleague," National Grid said. "His loss is deeply felt throughout the company and he will be sorely missed."

The United Steelworkers International and USW Local 12003 expressed their condolences to Jackson's family and said they mourned the death of their brother.

A fundraiser was created[11] to benefit the victims of the crash and their families.

References

1. ^ Legacy (www.legacy.com)
2. ^ Funeral plans announced for Waltham officer killed in double fatal crash (www.masslive.com)
3. ^ Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey (www.masslive.com)
4. ^ according to Brasco & Son Funeral Home (brascofuneralhome.com)
5. ^ Woodsville (www.masslive.com)
6. ^ drove a truck into a National Grid work site on Totten Pond Road (www.masslive.com)
7. ^ He pleaded not guilty and was held without bail (www.masslive.com)
8. ^ Lawyer for Waltham crash victim's family calls suspect a 'habitual offender' (www.masslive.com)
9. ^ WBZ (www.cbsnews.com)
10. ^ Flags in Mass. to fly at half-staff in honor of National Grid employee, Waltham officer (www.masslive.com)
11. ^ A fundraiser was created (www.masslive.com)