Amherst man in custody for hit-and-run fatal
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Staff
November 28, 2005
An Amherst man remained in police custody over the weekend after being charged in a hit-and-run crash that resulted in one fatality on Interstate 91 Wednesday night.
Nathan D. Pederizini, 26, of 398 State Street in Amherst was arrested Thursday morning at his home, after allegedly slamming the utility truck he was driving into the back of a 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier and leaving the scene of the accident.
A toddler, Jose Candelaria, 2, who was securely strapped into a car seat, died in the crash, said Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel. The boy's parents, Ann Marie Candelaria, 36, and Raymond Masso, 38, both of Greenfield were injured in the crash
Candelaria was taken to Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield with serious injuries before being released. Masso was airlifted to Bay State Medical Center in Springfield with critical injuries. He was listed in critical condition Saturday night.
Pederizini is charged with motor vehicle homicide, leaving a scene of personal injury or death, and operating on a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender among other offenses. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf Friday morning in Greenfield District Court, Scheibel said.
Pedrizini was to be arraigned Friday, but a judge postponed his arraignment because Pedrizini was not able to contact his mother. He has been held without bail over the weekend until a bail argument is made in court this morning.
State Police investigators told the District Attorney's office that Pedrizini was traveling north on Interstate 91 at a high rate of speed when it struck Candelaria's vehicle just below exit 26 between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Wednesday on the border of Deerfield and Greenfield.
The utility truck that Pedrizini was driving "struck the '87 Cavalier from behind and continued northbound to hit a [separate] pick up truck. He continued going northbound after that and left the scene," Scheibel said.
The man driving the pick up truck, Paul Thibodeau of Gill was uninjured. The truck was a Ford F-150.
Scheibel says a witness called police with the license plate number of the utility truck, a Ford F-550, which was owned by Pedrizini's employer.
Scheibel would not comment on whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
The State Police Reconstruction Team is still investigating the accident. The weather was fair and the roads were dry at the time of the crash.
Pedrizini reportedly worked for a local cable company. However, the information could not be confirmed as of press time.
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