By Charlie McKenna
masslive.com
LYNNFIELD, Mass. — Officials on Wednesday afternoon identified the wrong-way driver who killed himself and a Massachusetts State Police trooper when his Jeep collided with the trooper’s cruiser on Route 1 in Lynnfield as a 50-year-old Roslindale man.
Hernan Marrero, 50, was going south on the northbound side of Route 1 when he hit Trooper Kevin Trainor just after 2 a.m. Marrero was pronounced dead at the scene. Trainor was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where he died of his injuries.
Trainor was commuting home from his shift shortly before 2 a.m.
Minutes later, a 911 caller reported Marrero driving the wrong way on the highway. Several troopers in the area, including Trainor, responded to the scene.
Troopers found Marrero’s Jeep at 2:03 a.m. A minute later, Marrero’s Jeep hit Trainor’s cruiser.
“In the blink of an eye, those reckless actions stole Kevin,” from his mother, fiancé and siblings, State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said at a press conference Wednesday morning.
“His courage, his commitment to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth and even be willing to put his life on the line — which he did today — prevented an even greater tragedy, for I am confident that had this tragedy not occurred, there would have been countless other tragedies down the road,“ Noble added. “He will be remembered as a hero.”
State Police Association of Massachusetts President Brian Williams echoed that sentiment and said Trainor put “himself in harm’s way to protect the safety” of other drivers.
“He served with courage, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the state police, to his fellow troopers and to the citizens of this Commonwealth,” Williams said.
“His sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the risks our members face each and every day in the extraordinary bravery required to wear our uniform. To Kevin’s fiancée, his family, his friends and colleagues: We are here for you. Our hearts are with you. We will always be here for you,” he said.
Gov. Maura Healey added that while “it’s no comfort to a family to know ... (but) were it not for his actions, there would be a lot of grieving families today — and that’s a trooper doing his job.”
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