SOMERSET, MASS. (WHDH) - A Somerset woman killed in a violent, head-on crash with a Somerset police cruiser early Friday morning was a student at a Massachusetts college, officials said.
An officer responding to a report of a man attempting to break into a truck in the parking lot of the Grid Iron Pub about 12:30 a.m. collided head-on with a Honda Civic on Route 138, according to Somerset police.
The driver of the Honda, Haley Allard, a 20-year-old nursing student at UMass-Dartmouth, was taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The 4-year veteran of the Somerset Police Department, whose name has not been disclosed, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was treated and released.
A man who witnessed the crash said the officer did everything he could to save the other driver.
“He smashed the window to try and help the lady that he hit but I guess it was too late,” he said.
The collision left both vehicles and a utility pole heavily damaged. Route 138 was closed as National Grid workers repaired the pole.
The crash is being investigated by troopers assigned to Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn’s Office.
“We are all saddened by this horrible tragedy,” Somerset police said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the person who passed away.”
Robert E. Johnson, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts, also issued a statement.
“In her time with us, Hailey made her mark on friends, faculty, and staff. She has been described to me as bright, perpetually positive, and hard-working student,” the statement read. “She constantly demonstrated how much she cared about her fellow students, especially in her work as a resident assistant and as a mentor to other nursing students … Hailey’s sudden passing is a reminder to all of us how precious our time on earth is, and the importance of using our limited time to serve others.”
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