Inmate killed when car strikes trash pickup detail on Cape

July 10, 2008 05:57 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff, and Anne Baker, Globe Correspondent

One jail inmate was killed and another was seriously injured after being struck by a car this morning while they worked on a roadside trash pickup detail on Route 28 in Mashpee near the Falmouth town line, Mashpee Police said.

Emanuel M. Moniz, 30, of New Bedford was killed by a 2000 Nissan Altima driven by Daniel O. Price, 21, of Marstons Mills. Mark Joiner, 32, of Yarmouth, was in critical condition, police said. A third inmate on the detail was not injured in the incident, which happened shortly before 9 a.m.

The men were inmates at the Barnstable County jail, Police Chief Rodney Collins said. Moniz had been serving a six-month sentence for distribution of a Class B substance.

Collins said Price, who was not injured, had told an officer at the scene that he had fallen asleep.

"He did acknowledge that he had fallen asleep. He said that to one of the officers who arrived. A witness had said he maneuvered very abruptly to the right," said Collins.

Moniz's brother, Matt, said the family was shocked and distraught about Emanuel's death.

"He was a good, loving person, with five sisters and two brothers," he said. "He was a good person. We hope some type of justice ... closure, can be brought to this. I mean, how can someone just say they were asleep, and this happened ... and then they get to wake up and see a brand new day?

No charges have been filed; police are investigating the crash, Collins said.