Off-duty Salem police officer dies in two-vehicle crash
The crash happened around 11:20 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
An off-duty Salem police officer was killed in a two-vehicle crash late Thursday night, according to authorities.The Toyota the 56-year-old patrolman was operating and a Ford Fusion collided on Jefferson Avenue in Salem around 11:20 p.m., the Essex County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.The patrolman and the operator of the Ford were both taken to Salem Hospital, where the officer died from his injuries, the release said. The operator of the Ford was still alive as of around 8:15 a.m. Friday, but authorities didn’t have further details on his condition.State police were investigating what happened, and no charges had been issued as of Friday morning.Update:
In a statement later Friday morning, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll identified the officer as Dana Mazola.
“I was absolutely devastated to learn very early this morning about the accident that took the life of Salem Police Officer Dana Mazola. Dana was a conscientious and professional officer, a loving husband and father, and a devoted public servant to the people of Salem,” the mayor said. “He was, as we say, the ‘salt of the earth’ – a conscientious rank and file patrol officer who worked hard every single shift. Our families often attended the same church services and I fondly recall his two girls helping keep my energetic (at the time) toddler occupied while seated in the pew next to ours. Dana had a big heart and was a warm and caring family man. On behalf of the residents he served with such diligence and dedication for 31 years, I want to express my deepest condolences to his wife Florene and his twin girls, Amanda and Savannah, and all of Dana’s family. This is an unimaginable and heartbreaking loss to them and to our whole community. May he rest in peace.”
https://www.facebook.com/cityofsalemma/photos/a.347124392703883/744542649628720/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBfmwQkwjwW6vl16YN7cGJ6cH_BoXxfVnoF-d8-OdVrAI2hSTGv6AmywVLft83FXGkLtKxVD51cwZ_jKdz75Zk1AOPZBmAUyHvyKRwt6rmR6G4U8P8yMVuu0YjVIy-eH2oJXtS41epI8ioaWEL9N86I3Td0WK7tjFyk8E3joOac4LEJ6nX4Dwys6mUV19HGXW5ErUO_An6CVKjRX_8vvneuUkNZjtInhRcbWvI7CRkgJ5mhgcRjAO31bipcfBXhk0IATygjua0b074MD3d7LKDOYfWvdWRS-NhfKdY5NHdK22CUnHzw4qrwy38pDWfhLKxRQH_NYQ4lZakNeugxIsI&__tn__=-R
Update: Salem Police Chief Mary Butler released a lengthy tribute to Mazola Friday afternoon, referring to him as “a father figure to officers new to the job and a sage big brother to fellow officers with many years of service under their belts.”
Mazola served the department for 31 years, the first 29 in the Patrol Division and the last two in the Traffic Division.
“In his application to become a police officer with the Salem Police Department, then-civilian Mazola wrote, ‘My main reason for wanting to become a police officer is that I have an ability to deal well with all types of people – and that is an important aspect of police work. In my opinion, a police officer has to deal well with the public and I can do that. I enjoy helping people solve their problems and helping them through stressful or traumatic situations,'” according to the department.
https://www.facebook.com/SalemMAPolice/posts/1909908499133006?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC65os08PwB-2HZu-xTiRRIq_CLdX3eNkrFy_pkoyeRZxeYFORKTgIAhwrNlUyWklr_GGQWuLmD4qCJAGyMrb0C3jubirxbP_qLp7TVncUqZ0hhIk-k_tU4s5V1As9FrTCz6ujkywTdQBb6OFr_YSXkWZvsIB6WrR8RZfZxEAECrfViKjg4o1aWgiBCeEX3juPKB195f_QXrgTayWTV2yLCU6_f1qB9svPbbNr74M5nDlQmnf9suF0K4oYdp5MbJeVJuovKhMHXzad_ArXnyQ08rb88hFmqUARxipyb23JMsyKCa5P85QjpXsadt_gTGgI3uzCZy95zicoa5NoYPPCzJg&__tn__=-R
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