Hopkinton's town manager resigns

Hopkinton Town Manager Anthony Troiano, who was convicted last month of motor vehicle homicide, has stepped down from his post.

Troiano submitted a resignation letter during a closed session of the Board of Selectmen Thursday.

“It is with great regret that for personal and professional reasons I announce my resignation as town manager, effective immediately,” Troiano wrote in the letter.

Troiano also thanked the town’s citizens and employees in the letter, but did not elaborate on his reasons for stepping down. Reached at his home in Sandwich, Troiano would not say whether his decision to resign was related to his recent conviction.

“The only comment I’m going to make is that letter,” Troiano said.

Troiano was convicted on Sept. 17 of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, stemming from his involvement in a May 15, 2007, accident that killed Lilija Berents, 69, of East Falmouth. According to Associated Press reports, Troiano testified that he lost consciousness, possibly because of sleep apnea, at the time of the collision. He suffered extensive injuries from the crash and spent four weeks in a medically induced coma.

Troiano was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation, and his driver’s license was revoked for 15 years. Troiano was placed on paid administrative leave by the town on Sept. 19, and on Sept. 22 he was cited by Hopkinton police for driving on the revoked license.

Brian Herr, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, had called Troiano’s conviction a “private matter” and said it would only become a town issue if it affected Troiano’s ability to complete his work duties.

Hopkinton town attorney Ray Miyares confirmed that Troiano had been the subject of a disciplinary proceeding, but neither he nor Herr would say whether that proceeding was related to the car accident, conviction, or citation for driving on a revoked license.

-- Calvin Hennick