Mass. officer dies in incident with excavator at road construction site

A Massachusetts police officer died Friday afternoon after he was hit by an excavator while working a detail at a road construction site, Billerica police Chief Roy Frost and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.Sgt. Ian Taylor, 49, who was a member of the department since 2011, died from injuries suffered during the work detail, Ryan said. The incident happened at about 1:15 p.m. Friday on Boston Road, which is Route 3A.Ryan said Taylor was actively engaged in working a detail at the road construction site.”He was very much involved in moving a tractor-trailer through a small area, getting it around that construction site,” Ryan said. Ryan said while in the process of doing that, an excavator that was moving pieces of equipment at the site struck Taylor. “We’re all very emotional. It’s been a long day,” Frost said.Frost said Taylor was a 21-year law enforcement veteran, married with two children. “He is an unbelievable police officer,” Frost said. “We were lucky to grab him and have him work with us since 2011. He’s been here for 12 years.””Every single one of the officers that work with Ian love him,” Frost said. “He loved, loved helping the people in this community.”Police cruisers escorted an ambulance from the scene to Lahey Hospital in Burlington, which is about eight miles away. First responders originally called for a medical helicopter, but radio communications indicated that the paramedics from the helicopter climbed into the ambulance.At the Billerica police department, just up the road from the scene of the incident, bunting was draped over the front of the building, with flags lowered to half staff. “He was so full of life, the life sparkle from his eyes,” Dina Favreau, a member of the Billerica Selectboard, said. She and Taylor worked together on the Substance Awareness and Prevention team, working with people struggling with addiction. “He always came from a place of true understanding and compassion,” Favreau said. “He just always looked at the bright side of things and took the tangible steps to help people get the resources that they needed.”Taylor’s colleagues said his organs were donated so others can live. “His life had meaning,” Frost said. “He’s helped so many people. He has saved so many people. His life had impact.”Video: Billerica reacts to death of police sergeantNeighbors said Boston Road has been a mess of construction for months.One neighbor, who was working in his yard when the incident occurred, said he heard calls for help. That man’s home surveillance camera recorded a white tractor-trailer approaching the work area.”He saw the construction workers going to help the guy that was run over,” the neighbor said through a translator.

BILLERICA, Mass. —

A Massachusetts police officer died Friday afternoon after he was hit by an excavator while working a detail at a road construction site, Billerica police Chief Roy Frost and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.

Sgt. Ian Taylor, 49, who was a member of the department since 2011, died from injuries suffered during the work detail, Ryan said.

The incident happened at about 1:15 p.m. Friday on Boston Road, which is Route 3A.

Ryan said Taylor was actively engaged in working a detail at the road construction site.

“He was very much involved in moving a tractor-trailer through a small area, getting it around that construction site,” Ryan said.

Ryan said while in the process of doing that, an excavator that was moving pieces of equipment at the site struck Taylor.

“We’re all very emotional. It’s been a long day,” Frost said.

Frost said Taylor was a 21-year law enforcement veteran, married with two children.

“He is an unbelievable police officer,” Frost said. “We were lucky to grab him and have him work with us since 2011. He’s been here for 12 years.”

“Every single one of the officers that work with Ian love him,” Frost said. “He loved, loved helping the people in this community.”

Police cruisers escorted an ambulance from the scene to Lahey Hospital in Burlington, which is about eight miles away. First responders originally called for a medical helicopter, but radio communications indicated that the paramedics from the helicopter climbed into the ambulance.

At the Billerica police department, just up the road from the scene of the incident, bunting was draped over the front of the building, with flags lowered to half staff.

“He was so full of life, the life sparkle from his eyes,” Dina Favreau, a member of the Billerica Selectboard, said.

She and Taylor worked together on the Substance Awareness and Prevention team, working with people struggling with addiction.

“He always came from a place of true understanding and compassion,” Favreau said. “He just always looked at the bright side of things and took the tangible steps to help people get the resources that they needed.”

Taylor’s colleagues said his organs were donated so others can live.

“His life had meaning,” Frost said. “He’s helped so many people. He has saved so many people. His life had impact.”

Video: Billerica reacts to death of police sergeant

Neighbors said Boston Road has been a mess of construction for months.

One neighbor, who was working in his yard when the incident occurred, said he heard calls for help. That man’s home surveillance camera recorded a white tractor-trailer approaching the work area.

“He saw the construction workers going to help the guy that was run over,” the neighbor said through a translator.

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