Second driver involved in deadly Chicopee crash due in court
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Another driver charged in connection to a deadly hit and run crash in Chicopee is expected to be in court on Wednesday.
Mega Millions raises ticket price, improves odds
The first driver charged in connection with the deadly crash appeared in court on Tuesday, and now on Wednesday, the second driver is set to appear.
On Tuesday, the judge entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Lavonta Williams Jr., one of the suspects involved in that deadly crash back in February. That crash resulted in the death of 34-year-old Vanessa Perez. Police say she was struck and killed by two separate vehicles as she was walking on Abbey Memorial Drive.
That night, a call was placed to 911 by an individual that identified their self as 'Lavonta' Prosecution says the caller hung up the call when they told the dispatcher police arrived, but didn't stay to speak with police.
Williams is charges with leaving the scene of personal injury and death, however his lawyer said there are many issues with the case and said in an interview after the arraignment that his client is cooperating with law enforcement and tried to do what was right that night by stopping and flagging down people to help.
The second suspect, Jerimeldo Lopez, is set to be arraigned on Wednesday on two felony charges, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of personal injury and death.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Springfield woman arrested for DUI, files false report after hitting trooper
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – On Tuesday morning, a woman from Springfield allegedly struck a state trooper, who was conducting a traffic stop on the Westbound side of the Mass Pike in Chicopee. Project Lifesaver launches in Chicopee to help locate wandering individuals 22News obtained a copy of the police report to learn how investigators could track down a suspect. Police made a quick arrest, charging 32-year-old Naisha Rodriguez in connection with the crash. According to the police report, Rodriguez was driving a work-issued car at the time of the crash. After the incident, Rodriquez allegedly told her employer that five people attacked her and the car was stolen. But her story about the alleged attack and car theft was debunked by surveillance video. When people were dispatched to her home, Rodriguez ended up filing a police report with the same information, which she told her employer. The Subaru was later found on Windemere Street in Springfield with pieces of the trooper's patrol jacket and blood stains reportedly on the car. Officers then obtained an arrest warrant and took the suspect into custody. She was arraigned in court Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, witness intimidation, leaving the scene of the crash, and falsely reporting a stolen vehicle. At the arraignment Wednesday morning, state police cruisers and troopers filled the parking lot and courtroom of Chicopee District Court in support of the injured trooper. Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to the charges and was held on a $500,00 cash bail. The conditions of her bail include not using any devices while driving, staying away from alcohol, and wearing a GPS tracker. Rodriguez is set to be back in court for a pre-trial hearing on July 10th at 12pm. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sobriety checkpoint by Mass. State Police in Hampden County Friday the 13th
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – State Police will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint this Friday in Hampden County to help prevent under-the-influence driving. Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble states the checkpoint will be held somewhere in Hampden County between Friday, June 13th, into Saturday, June 14th. Trooper seriously injured in hit-and-run on Mass. Pike in Chicopee The checkpoints are an effort to help educate drivers and bring awareness to detecting a motorist driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. State Police say they will be done during various hours and the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary. Signs will also inform drivers of an upcoming checkpoint to reduce fear and anxiety. During the sobriety checkpoints held in Hampden and Norfolk Counties on the last weekend of March, troopers arrested 14 drivers who were charged with operating under the influence. In addition, three people were arrested for other criminal offenses, 12 criminal summonses issued, 79 tickets for speeding, 18 seatbelt violations, six cell phone violations, and several firearms were recovered from a driver charged with OUI. The sobriety checkpoints are funded through a grant by the Office of Grants and Research of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Springfield police seize guns, drugs in Garland Street raid
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Two illegal firearms, crack-cocaine, marijuana, and cash were seized during a search warrant executed on Garland Street in Springfield. In a news release sent to 22News from the Springfield Police Department, a several-months long investigation into a suspect, 50-year-old Howard Dukes of Springfield, allegedly distributing crack-cocaine led to a search warrant at his home on Garland Street. Piles of trash, furniture and uncut grass led citation sweep in Springfield At around 6:15 a.m., officers executed the search warrant and found Dukes in the bathroom, allegedly flushing drugs down the toilet. Dukes and several other occupants were detained while officers searched the home. Two illegal firearms, more than the legal amount of marijuana, crack-cocaine and cash were seized and the following were arrested. Howard Dukes is charged with the following: Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug Tampering or Destruction of Evidence Aziyah Glover (21) of Springfield is charged with the following: Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card (Two Counts) Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card (Two Counts) Receiving Stolen Property Less than $1200 Improper Storage of a Firearm (Two Counts) Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class D Drug Eu'Kali Glover (22) of Springfield is charged with the following: Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card (Two Counts) Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card (Two Counts) Receiving Stolen Property Less than $1200 Improper Storage of a Firearm (Two Counts) Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class D Drug WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
