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Penney Richards
November, 2009 |
Lawrence Eagle-Tribune story
from Saturday, November 21, 2009
Reading police mum on
pickup driver in double-fatal motorcycle crash
By Gretchen M. Putnam
gputnam@eagletribune.com
READING — Investigators are still refusing to release the name of
the driver of the pickup truck that collided with a motorcycle
Thursday, leaving its two riders dead.
Middlesex District Attorney's office spokeswoman Jessica Venezia
said the accident is still under investigation and information on
the driver of the pickup truck and whether charges would be filed
would have to come from Reading Police.
Reading Police said all information would have to come from Chief
James Cormier, but the chief was said to have left for the day by
noon yesterday. He did not return phone messages left on his
voicemail.
Killed were Penney Jean "PJ" Richards, 25, of North Reading, and
Michael A. D'Amore, 32, of Reading. D'Amore was driving the
motorcycle with Richards as his passenger when the bike collided
with a pickup truck at the intersection of Lowell and High streets.
Family and friends of the victims said the two were going to a
funeral for a friend, Ryan Golden of Reading, who was killed last
Saturday in a crash on Route 128.
Richards was the daughter of Dave and Penny Morang Richards. Penny
Morang Richards is a former The Eagle-Tribune reporter who wrote
many columns about her daughter.
D'Amore was a life-long resident of Reading, said family friend
Debbie Nast. He was the son of Nancy and Michael D'Amore, and the
half-brother of Anthony D'Amore.
Nast said D'Amore was an experienced motorcyclist who rode dirt
bikes as a kid and a motorcycle as soon as he got his license.
Nast said D'Amore's own motorcycle was being repaired so he borrowed
one from a friend.
"He was a safe driver particularly when Penney was on the back,"
Nast said.
Nast said the intersection where the accident occurred is a
dangerous one. The intersection is in a residential area not far
from the center of town. Lowell Street (Route 129) is a main drag
that leads to Interstate 93.
"It's five roads coming into one," she said. "It's not a very good
place to be."
She said D'Amore was well-known in Reading as a "lovable" guy and
worked as an electrician for Carleton Electric. She said he worked
on many town projects in town.
"Everyone knew him in Reading," she said. "He was one of those guys
everybody loved.
He was just one of those guys that is so dependable. You could count
on him for anything." |
