Weymouth officer dies after truck plows into road detail

Davey, an Iraq War veteran, had served on the police force for the past five years. His father served on the Weymouth force for 32 years.

The driver of the pickup, 79-year-old Ronald Gale of Weymouth, faces charges of motor vehicle homicide, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and failure to stop for a stop sign. Gale's license was suspended after he was deemed an immediate threat, Keating said.

Davey's death sent shock waves through this town of 60,000, where officials could not immediately recall the last time an officer had been lost in the line of duty.

"Today is a profoundly sad day, first and foremost for the spouse of Michael Davey, for his three children, for his father and mother, his two brothers and extended family, his fellow officers on the Weymouth Police Force,'' Keating said. "We've lost truly a guardian of our safety. People like that are not commonplace.''

He would not comment on Gale's driving record, nor on whether Gale's age played a role in the crash.

The crew from National Grid had been working on overhead wires when they saw the crash and helped pull the pickup truck off the officer, according to Ted Wheeler, a safety specialist with National Grid.

This afternoon, Davey's fellow officers placed black bunting over the entrance to police headquarters.

"As can be expected, everyone is distraught," Police Chief Timothy Carr said.