Mass. couple was married for nearly 60 years before being killed in a head-on car crash
A Westport couple was married for nearly 60 years before they were killed in a head-on car crash in Dartmouth late last month, according to their obituary.
Diane and Jeffrey Moniz, both 76, were killed in a crash in front of 422 Old Westport Road around 10:30 a.m. on May 25, the Bristol County District Attorney's Office said previously. An SUV driven by 63-year-old Dartmouth resident Philip Morris crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck their car.
Both Diane and Jeffrey Moniz were taken to a local hospital, but they were soon declared dead, the district attorney's office said. Morris received minor injuries and is facing two counts of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and a marked lanes violation in connection with the crash.
Read more: Mass. couple dies in car crash, Dartmouth man faces charges
Jeffrey 'Jeff' Moniz was born in New Bedford on May 2, 1949, according to his and his wife's obituary. Diane Moniz was born on Feb. 3 of the same year.
Prior to moving to Westport, the husband and wife were long-time Dartmouth residents, according to their obituary. They leave behind their daughters, Cheryl Moniz and Wendy Correia, three grandchildren — Hailey, Nathan and Justin, Jeffrey Moniz's brother, Michael Moniz, and many other beloved friends and relatives.
'Married for 59 years, Jeff & Diane were not only partners in life, but best friends,' their obituary reads. 'Their devotion to each other was evident in every small gesture, every laugh shared, and every challenge faced hand in hand.'
A private funeral service has been arranged for the couple.
Ex-Mass. state sen. pleads guilty to stealing gun from constituent, lying to police
Blaze Jordan graduates to Triple A after parts of three tumultuous seasons in Portland
Boston school bus driver, contractor sued over crash that seriously injured 8-year-old
Boston 15-year-old charged in knife assault on MBTA bus driver
Springfield assists new retail development at former Eastfield Mall with $8 million in financing
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Community meeting held to discuss South Coast Rail frustrations
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) hosted a community meeting on Thursday, letting people share their frustrations regarding the South Coast Rail. Officials also gave a presentation highlighting the improvemenets they have made so far to the new rail line since it opened in March. A person who lives nearby said more change is needed. 'When I'm walking my dog at 5 a.m., that horn is going on for like a minute and a half straight,' he explained. 'And that's what, 15 times a day, all day? I mean, that's unbelievable. That is torture.' RELATED: MBTA reports issues with South Coast Rail service The MBTA's Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan acknowledged complaints on the noise plus other issues like train cancellations and staffing shortages. He said crew shortages have improved and most trains are back on track. MBTA officials also highlighted the Noise Mitigation Program that reimburses participating home owners. Nearly $2 million in grants have already been given out to area residents. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
4 hours ago
Pope meets with child protection advisory board as survivors call for zero tolerance of abuse
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Leo XIV met with members of the Vatican's child protection advisory commission on Thursday for the first time amid questions about his past handling of clergy sex abuse cases and demands from survivors that he enact a true policy of zero tolerance for abuse across the Catholic Church. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which is made up of religious and lay experts in fighting abuse as well as survivors, called the hourlong audience a 'significant moment of reflection, dialogue, and renewal of the church's unwavering commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people.' The group said it updated history's first American pope on its activities, including an initiative to help church communities in poorer parts of the world prevent abuse and care for victims. The Vatican did not provide the text of Leo's remarks or make the audio of the audience available to reporters. Pope Francis created the commission early on in his pontificate to advise the church on best practices and placed a trusted official, Boston's then-archbishop, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, in charge. But as the abuse scandal spread globally during Francis' 12-year pontificate, the commission lost its influence its crowning recommendation — the creation of a tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for predator priests — went nowhere. After many years of reform and new members, it has become a place where victims can go to be heard and bishops can get advice on crafting guidelines to fight abuse. O'Malley turned 80 last year and retired as archbishop of Boston, but he remains president of the commission and headed the delegation meeting with Leo in the Apostolic Palace. It has often fallen to O'Malley to speak out on egregious cases that have arrived at the Vatican, including one that remains on Leo's desk: The fate of the ex-Jesuit artist, the Rev. Marko Rupnik, who has been accused by two dozen women of sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse over decades. After coming under criticism that a fellow Jesuit had apparently received preferential treatment, Francis in 2023 ordered the Vatican to waive the statute of limitations on the case and prosecute him canonically. But as recently as March, the Vatican still hadn't found judges to open the trial. Meanwhile, the victims are still waiting for justice and Rupnik continues to minister, with his supporters defending him and denouncing a 'media lynching' campaign against him. Leo, the Chicago-born former Cardinal Robert Prevost, has been credited by victims of helping to dismantle an abusive Catholic movement in Peru, where he served as bishop for many years. But other survivors have asked him to account for other cases while he was a superior in the Augustinian religious order, bishop in Peru and head of the Vatican's bishops' office. The main U.S. survivor group, SNAP, has also called for Leo to adopt the U.S. policy calling for any priest who has been credibly accused of abuse to be permanently removed from ministry. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
USA Today
13 hours ago
- USA Today
Florida sheriff charged with racketeering in illegal gambling, corruption probe
Florida sheriff charged with racketeering in illegal gambling, corruption probe Show Caption Hide Caption Ex-Arkansas police chief imprisoned for murder escapes prison Grant Hardin, a former Gateway, Arkansas, police chief serving time for murder and rape, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25. unbranded - Newsworthy A sheriff in central Florida was arrested and charged in connection with an alleged massive gambling operation and public corruption scheme that generated more than $21 million in profits, authorities announced on June 5. Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was charged with one count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office said in a statement. Online inmate records showed that Lopez was booked into a jail in nearby Lake County, Florida, on the morning of June 5. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 30, according to inmate records. It is unclear if Lopez has an attorney. Uthmeier's office noted that the investigation remains ongoing and other charges may be announced at a later date. Lopez allegedly initially participated in the operation for personal payouts and campaign contributions before later using his position to "shield the enterprise from law enforcement," according to Uthmeier's office. Lopez was elected sheriff in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. Following his arrest, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order suspending Lopez from his position. The governor appointed Christopher Blackmon, the central region chief for the Florida Highway Patrol, as the county's sheriff. Osceola County Manager Don Fisher said in a statement that the county had no role in the investigation as the sheriff is a separate constitutional officer and apart from the county or the county commission. He added that county officials were prepared to support Blackmon as the interim sheriff. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on June 5. "As law enforcement, we are held to higher standards of integrity and character than other professions. This case revealed that Lopez violated the trust and integrity expected of him as the duly elected sheriff of Osceola County," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said in a statement. "Florida's sheriffs are leaders for not only their office and deputies, but for their community and the citizens that elected them." Why is it so hard to find him? 'Devil in the Ozarks' killer remains a fugitive. 'Multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise' Uthmeier's office accused Lopez of playing a "multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise." Prosecutors said the alleged criminal organization was uncovered in 2023 in a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the support of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The investigation revealed that the organization was operating an illegal gambling enterprise in central Florida, particularly in Lake and Osceola Counties, according to prosecutors. The operation allegedly generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds. Following his election as sheriff in November 2020, prosecutors said Lopez "continued to advance the interests" of the organization and collected a portion of the gambling proceeds for his involvement. Four people whom Uthmeier described as the sheriff's associates were also charged with racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, according to state charging documents. The four were identified as Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt, and Carol Cote. The charging documents state that the operation started in at least 2019 and continued until at least 2024. Beginning around June 2022, Lopez and his four associates owned or managed a "gambling house" out of a business known as Fusion Social Club or Eclipse Social Club, according to the charging documents. The business, which conducted a lottery and possessed a slot machine, was located in Kissimmee in central Florida's Osceola County, just south of Orlando, the charging documents stated. In a social media post on June 5, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared a video showing HSI agents arresting Lopez. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, no one is above the law — including public officials," the department said in the post. Prosecutors said other arrest warrants are expected to be served in the coming days. Inmate records showed that Fedrick and Cote were booked into Lake County Jail on the afternoon and night of June 5. The two were also being held without bond and are expected to appear in court on June 30. Death, a 'criminal enterprise': How an entire police department was put on leave Latest investigation involving Osceola County Sheriff's Office Lopez, who was born in Chicago and grew up in central Florida, was first elected as sheriff in 2020, according to his biography on the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website. He was sworn in on January 5, 2021, and became the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and state. Lopez joined the sheriff's office in 2003 while he was serving in the Navy Reserve, the website stated. He previously served 22 years in the U.S. military and received multiple awards and accolades throughout his career, according to the website. Lopez and the Osceola County Sheriff's Office have been involved in other investigations in recent years. In December 2024, Lopez pleaded no contest to a civil infraction and agreed to pay a $250 fine for posting a photo of a dead body on his personal Instagram page, FOX 35 Orlando and WFTV reported. The image was of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, who disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Kissimmee. Her body was found days later, and the boyfriend of the girl's mother was charged with her death. Lopez and the sheriff's office also came under scrutiny in 2022 after a 20-year-old was shot and killed by deputies, according to local television station WESH. Authorities said the 20-year-old and the group he was with were accused of stealing pizza and Pokémon cards from a Target store in Kissimmee, WESH reported. A grand jury declined to file charges in the case, according to WESH, but criticized the sheriff's office for its handling of the incident. The grand jury recommended policy and procedure changes for shootings involving law enforcement, WESH reported. "Our conclusion bluntly is that this should not have happened," the grand jury report states, according to Central Florida Public Media. "Our findings uncovered grave concerns about whether the appropriate amount of force was used to apprehend misdemeanor shoplifters and how insufficient training around vehicle blocks and lack of communication needlessly created circumstances where a deputy was faced with death or great bodily harm."
