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Waltham, police community mourn slain officer after fatal crash claims two lives
Paul Tracey, 58, is being remembered as a loving father, husband, and friend. The man charged with killing him and a National Grid worker pleaded not guilty Thursday.
The Waltham community and police departments across the state are mourning after a 28-year veteran officer was killed on the job Wednesday afternoon in a hit and run.
Paul Tracey, 58, is remembered as a loving father, husband, and friend, Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell said.
“Paul Tracey served our great city with distinction,” O’Connell said at a press conference on Wednesday night. “He was a compassionate police officer, had always looked out for the underdog.”
A National Grid worker, identified as Roderick Jackson, was also killed in the crash and two other workers were injured, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney. Jackson, 36, was a Cambridge resident.
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Peter Simon, 54, of Woodsville, N.H. was driving a pick-up truck down Totten Pond Road when he crashed into a vehicle after attempting a U-turn, officials said. He then fled the crash and continued for a quarter of a mile before allegedly striking Tracey and the utility workers.
Simon fled again, striking multiple cars before continuing on foot. When approached by a Waltham police officer, he allegedly threatened the officer with a knife and stole his police vehicle. He then crashed the cruiser and was apprehended after a brief foot chase, according to the DA.
O’Connell called the actions of the department “heroic.”
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“Not only did they conduct life-saving measures for a fallen officer and a friend from National Grid working, they also had to give chase to a person and take him into custody,” O’Connell said.
Waltham resident Tracey was married to a Waltham Public Schools worker with two children, according to a local outlet. Tracey and his family also appeared on Family Feud, winning $20,000 and appearing in four episodes.
“It’s important to remember that these two men were doing their job at 4 o’clock in the afternoon when they were killed and crashes like this happen far too often,” said Middlesex County DA Marian Ryan. “It reminds us all of the danger that officers and workers face when they are out on the roadways.”
Jackson’s family spoke outside of the courthouse on Thursday where Simon pleaded not guilty.
“He meant everything to me. He meant everything to everybody,” his brother told local outlets. “This is a nightmare that I’m living in.”
National Grid said on Thursday that Jackson worked in the company’s gas division since early 2021.
“He was a highly respected, talented and selfless teammate who worked extremely hard, took on extra duties and had built strong friendships with members on his team,” a spokesperson said. “He was always willing to lend a hand, roll up his sleeves and help a colleague. His loss is deeply felt throughout the company, and he will be sorely missed.”
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Simon appeared in Waltham District Court Thursday morning to a courtroom packed with law enforcement officers and utility workers. He pleaded not guilty to a string of charges including two counts of manslaughter and will be held without bail until a dangerousness hearing next week.
‘Waltham is waking up this morning with a broken heart.’
Some Waltham residents took to social media to share tributes to Tracey. One woman who said she was close to the scene of the crash when it happened shared her thoughts on Facebook.
“Waltham is waking up this morning with a broken heart. I barely slept.. Thinking of his kids who will wake up with no dad. His wife no husband,” she wrote. “His family who lost a son and brother.. whose lives and Xmas holiday will never be the same.”
Boston 25 reporter Christine McCarthy shared a personal tribute to Tracey on X, saying the officer helped save her grandmother’s life more than 20 years ago.
“All of their actions, particularly Officer Tracey’s early CPR, allowed my family to have several more years with my beloved Nana,” McCarthy wrote. “I didn’t know Officer Tracey but my parents did. They & everyone who knew him in my hometown of Waltham are devastated by this senseless tragedy.”
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Late Wednesday night, a somber procession to the state medical examiner’s office in Boston was lined with first responders paying respects to the fallen officer.
Massachusetts State Police, who responded to assist Waltham police on Wednesday afternoon, honored Tracey on X as well.
The Boston Police Detectives Union posted on Facebook Thursday morning, saying “Rest easy Brother. We have the watch.”
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