Springfield man charged with leaving the scene after crash kills Fall River skateboarder

A Springfield man is facing charges in connection to a fatal collision March 27 in Springfield, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office said.

Carlos Reyes, 46, is charged with leaving the scene of death, driving with a suspended license, driving an uninsured vehicle, and multiple civil motor vehicle infractions, court records showed.

Just after 5 p.m. March 27, Springfield police officers responded to a call about a vehicle striking a pedestrian at the intersection of Parker Street and Verge Street. The pedestrian was walking his bike across the street when he was struck, according to the DA’s office.

Officers found a vehicle parked on the side of the road by the victim, who had died from his injuries. A bicycle tire was lodged under the driver’s side, and the vehicle’s owner had left the scene, the DA’s office said.

Reyes turned himself in to Springfield police the next morning and was later found to have a warrant out of Palmer District Court, according to the DA’s office.

He was arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is being held in Hampden County House of Correction on $250,000 bail and is due back in court for a hearing April 29, according to court records. 

Reyes was also ordered to stay in Massachusetts, surrender his passport, and refrain from operating a motor vehicle, the DA’s office said. The Springfield office of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, which was listed in court documents as representing Reyes, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night.

Community mourns victim, starts petition to rename skatepark

The DA’s office identified the crash victim as Aronde Odom, 30. Odom was a well-known skateboarder in Fall River, and the community held a candlelight vigil Friday evening at Abbott Court Skate Park, according to the Fall River Reporter.

The community has also organized a change.org petition to rename a new skatepark in Odom’s honor. The petition had more than 1,500 signatures as of Monday evening.

“Skating wasn’t just a passion to him; it was a lifestyle and a means to inspire,” the petition reads. “This act would immortalize his essence, his talent, and his influence in our community and serve as an inspiration to all future skaters.”

The Bristol Black Collective, a non-profit organization from Fall River, showed their support for the petition on Facebook.

“Aronde’s passion for skateboarding and his contributions to the local skate community made a lasting impression on many,” the organization wrote in a Facebook post. “Naming the park after him would be a fitting tribute, ensuring that his spirit, dedication, and love for the sport live on for future generations.”

One of Odom’s loved ones created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his funeral services. As of Monday evening, the page had raised nearly $8,000.

“To me and many others, he was more than just a brother, son, friend, nephew, uncle, or significant other — he was an amazing public figure and an inspiration to future generations in skateboarding,” organizer Brandon Rose wrote on the page.

The Springfield Police Department Homicide Unit is investigating the incident, the DA’s office said.

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