New England in brief
SJC guidelines aim to prevent ID theft
July 18, 2009
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The justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court have approved guidelines designed to protect against identity theft by having people who file court documents omit personal information. The nonbinding guidelines call for only the last four digits of Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, tax identification numbers, and driver’s license numbers to be included in court documents. They also say that only the first initial of a person’s mother’s maiden name should be used. The guidelines apply only to court documents that are publicly available and contain exemptions for situations when personal information may be required. It is up to the person filing the court document to delete or omit data. (AP)
Man dies day after being struck by car
Fredy E. Zepeda died Thursday night at Massachusetts General Hospital, about 30 minutes after doctors reduced the medication keeping him alive, according to his family’s lawyer, Michael Keohane. Zepeda, 36, suffered serious head injuries Wednesday morning when a driver hit him as he loaded his 1-year-old son into a car on a Brighton street. To raise money to send his body back to Guatemala, The Fredy Zepeda Fund has been established with Authority to receive state credit backing
After several days of wrangling that nearly forced legislators to meet over the weekend, the state Senate passed a bill yesterday to extend $800 million in state credit backing to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Governor Deval Patrick’s administration said it needs the agreement, previously passed by the House, as it attempts to stave off a potential payment of $255 million to Swiss financial giant NEW LONDON, CONN.
Plane lands safely after losing radio signal
The Federal Aviation Administration said a Massachusetts plane that lost radio contact in Connecticut landed safety in New Jersey despite problems with its landing gear. A spokeswoman for the FAA said the plane landed just after 1 p.m. at Ocean City Municipal Airport in Ocean City, N.J., with its wheels still up. The pilot, who was the only person on board, had reported electrical problems with the landing gear. The FAA said the plane was headed to Ocean City yesterday when it lost contact about 11:24 a.m. west of the Groton-New London Airport, prompting a brief search. The FAA said electrical problems may have contributed to the plane dropping off radar screens. (AP)SPRINGFIELD
Teen killed after being hit, dragged by car
A 15-year-old Springfield youth who police said was backing away from an officer stepped into a street and was struck and killed by a car. The teenager was trapped under the car and dragged about 50 feet Thursday night. Police and the car’s driver had to lift the vehicle off the youth, who died later at a hospital. Police said Delano Walker was one of three boys on bikes seen coming from a car dealer’s lot just after 10 p.m. on Thursday. As an officer approached, police said Walker got off his bike and assumed a fighting stance. When the officer got closer, Walker reached into his pocket and stepped into the street. Police said they recovered a knife from under his body. (AP)WESTFORD
Tractor-trailer hits, kills man on I-495
A tractor-trailer struck and killed a man who had stepped out of his car in a breakdown lane on Interstate 495 in Westford, State Police said yesterday. The man pulled over at 8:45 a.m. on I-495 south near Exit 32, parking his Chevrolet Impala in the breakdown lane. It was not immediately clear what caused the man to pull over. An ambulance rushed him to Lowell General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name was withheld pending family notification.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
