A man in Massachusetts is currently being held after hitting and killing a Waltham police officer and a National Grid utility worker with his automobile on Wednesday. 

Two additional National Grid utility workers were also injured in the crash. The man has been identified as Peter Simon.

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Who is Peter Simon?

Peter Simon is 54 years old. He is a resident of Woodsville, New Hampshire. According to police records, he has been charged with two counts of manslaughter and armed robbery. 

The driver, named Simon, was driving a pickup truck east on Totten Pond Road in Waltham when the sad incident occurred, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. After pulling to the side of the road, Simon suddenly tried to do a U-turn by veering back into the traffic.

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After traveling for about a quarter of a mile, Simon’s car collided with Waltham police officer Paul Tracey, 58, who was killed, and a Cambridge utility worker, 36. The news release from the Middlesex County DA’s office states that at the time of the crash, Officer Tracey was actively doing police detail work at a National Grid work site.

After hitting the victims’ vehicle, Simon hit several more cars before getting out of his truck and trying to run away on foot. He ran into another Waltham policeman who had come to the scene during this getaway. Simon allegedly brandished a knife at the policeman, stole his squad car, and then ran away again.

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Simon’s effort to get away in the pilfered police cruiser was foiled when he caused an accident. He took off running once more but was eventually caught by Waltham police following a short foot pursuit, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office.