UXBRIDGE, MA—An on-duty Uxbridge police officer was killed early Wednesday after being struck by a tractor-trailer on Route 146, authorities said.
Officer Stephen LaPorta, who had served with the Uxbridge Police Department for about two years, was outside his cruiser assisting a motorist when the crash occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Route 146 northbound, near mile marker 5.9, according to a joint announcement from law enforcement.
The crash happened at approximately 12:40 a.m. LaPorta was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The motorist LaPorta had been assisting was not physically hurt, authorities said.
LaPorta is survived by his wife and one child.
Multiple agencies are investigating the crash, including Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, the Uxbridge Police and Fire departments, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and MassDOT. State police collision reconstruction specialists and commercial vehicle enforcement units are also assisting in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Investigators are asking anyone who was traveling through the area around the time of the crash to contact Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office at 508-832-9124.
