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Firefighters sworn, liquor license transfered for Plympton Convenience store

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PLYMPTON – Monday, July 9, Plympton selectmen met for approximately 35 minutes to execute a short summer agenda.

• Steven Fennell, Stephen Galambos, Leah Marshall (who wasn’t present) and Tyler Potrykus were all sworn in by the board as call firefighters. The young group of new firefighters came with family and friends for the exciting celebration, and the selectmen expressed enthusiasm to see new, youthful firefighters joining the force.

• The board declared PFD Engine 3 surplus, at the request of Fire Management Consultant Chief Lance Benjamino. The 2008 GMC C5500 Danko Mini Pumper has served Plympton well over the past 10 years, according to a memo by Benjamino, but, “no longer fits into the Plympton Fire Department’s response plan.” A firefighter with the department noted after the meeting that the engine barely fits into the firehouse.

• Elizabeth Dennehy, Town Administrator, announced that the Town is seeking to hire a permanent fire chief, with an Aug. 17 deadline for applications and hopefully narrowed down to two or three names by September. Fire Management Consultant Chief Lance Benjamino will be assisting the town with the process.

• Robert Karling, in a memo to the board, respectfully declined a one-month appointment as the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Karling had been the town’s ZEO for a decade.  Tom Millias,  current Building Inspector, will fill that position on a temporary basis until a permanent ZEO is hired.

• Selectmen approved 30 hours of Town Counsel time for the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is currently dealing with several complex cases.

• Devang and Manisha Patel were granted a liquor license for the package store and convenience component of Plympton Gas & Convenience, which they lease. The gas station component is operated by a different owner. Minimal to no changes are expected in the operations of the store, according to the applicants. The hearing lasted less than 10 minutes.

• The board will next meet Monday, July 16, at 6 p.m. in the large meeting room of the Town House. A hearing regarding the Atwood property and the town’s first right of refusal will take place at that meeting.

Photos by Abram Neal

New Halifax officer

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Swearing in a new police officer is a formal ceremony that requires one to pledge an oath to the United States and the Massachusetts Constitution. The ceremony is done before the Board of Selectmen, Town Clerk, and Police Chief. Michelle McIntyre’s family came to support her as well.

In an emotional moment filled with hugs and laughter, McIntyre chose her grandfather as the one to pin her after the swearing in.

Selectmen Chair Kim Roy congratulated McIntyre for graduating from the police academy. She said, “We’re very proud of you…we all want to congratulate you on a job well done. It’s not an easy process and we recognize that…we look forward to getting to know you.”

Fire Department considering outside billing service

Following the retirement of the Halifax Fire Department’s longtime administrative assistant, the fire department is weighing the possibility of outside billing versus in-house.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said he’s reached out to some of the outside groups that provide this service including Coastal Medical Billing and others.

According to early rough estimates from Chief Viveiros, there’s a $205,000 potential revenue increase if a service such as this is explored.

There’s potential for improving collections for ambulance billing here, but Viveiros said he doesn’t want this to be so much of a focus that people don’t call during emergencies. Viveiros said, “We don’t want people to refrain from calling an ambulance.”

Viveiros said most surrounding municipal fire departments already switched to outside firms for their ambulance billing.

Selectmen and Town Adminstrator Charles Seelig expressed a willingness to explore this option for the town.

Seelig said a three-year contract with the option to opt out after the first year would be ideal. He said this is to make sure any increases in revenue are hitting the levels expected by the town’s governing body.

Viveiros said he still has some more calls to make and research to complete, but he does have some drafts prepared for going over. Selectmen said funding for an outside billing firm could be voted on at a Special Town Meeting in August.

Fieldstone Farms Update

Selectmen approved a one-day liquor license for Walter Wunder for the Silver Oak Horse Jump Show at Fieldstone Farms on August 19. However, this liquor license approval led to discussion about a lack of building permits for a two-story building that was used for the horse show last year.

The two-story building NESN used to film last year’s horse show does not have a building permit.

Seelig said Fieldstone Farms will not be fined for the lack of permit, but the building cannot be used until there is a permit approved. Selectmen will send a letter to the property owner saying the structure cannot be used until there’s a permit.

Other News

• In a two-to-one vote, the Board of Selectmen approved a six-month extension of Richard Harrison’s unregistered vehicle permit. Selectmen were not happy with how long it took Harrison to put up the required fence. Roy, who voted no on the permit extension thought the fence looked awkward and wasn’t happy with the timing.  Harrison, who is trying to move and sell the property is hoping to have the vehicle off the property within six months.  Selectman Troy Garron said, “I would personally like to have something more definitive, but I can understand the circumstances. The selectmen said they wouldn’t be inclined to extend the permit again.

• A road cut was approved at 288 Oak Street for a new gas line.

The next selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for July 24. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

ITW floats trial balloon for cell antenna tower

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PLYMPTON – On Tuesday, July 10, the Zoning Board of Appeals held a continued hearing on a proposed 120-foot, lattice-style telecommunications tower at the corner of Palmer Road and Center Street. The hearing drew several concerned residents, including those whose homes fall within several hundred feet of the proposed tower. Industrial Tower and Wireless of Marshfield, the telecommunication tower builder, represented by their attorney Jeffrey Angley, was present with new material for the ZBA. They also responded to inquiries from the board and residents.

ZBA chairman Kenneth Thompson allowed the company to present new and updated material first. The company performed a “balloon test,” in which a balloon was floated on string up to 120 feet June 26, and then photographed from different angles to simulate the visibility of the proposed structure.

While the company representatives claimed that the balloon was invisible or only barely visible at several of the 12 locations photographed, including from Town House more than half a mile away, residents – and board members – took issue with this.

ZBA members and residents came armed with photographs.

“I know it’s business zoned, but a lot of people live nearby,” said Carolyn Bartlett, a property owner who would directly face the 20-foot access road to the proposed tower. “Just to give you the benefit of the doubt, I think you took your photo when the balloon was blowing, because all of [my photos] showed the balloon.”

“I’m not proposing they’re invisible, they’re visible,” conceded Angley. “We were pretty pleased from how it looked from abutting properties,” said a colleague from the company.

The company also presented a report from an MIT scientist on the radiation effects of such a telecommunications tower, which they claim is all within FCC guidelines, a revised site plan including a wider access road per the request of the fire department and a letter from the Massachusetts Historical Commission claiming that the tower would have no impact on any historical sites.

Bartlett, who worked as a real estate agent for many years until retiring, suggested that the tower would reduce property values. “Whether it’s scientific or not, it’s emotional. [The tower is] going to impact decisions. It’s common sense.”

Another resident present, Rosemary German, of 63 Palmer Road, said her garage  is approximately 220 feet from the center of the tower, the closest abutter.

“I don’t believe it belongs, or they wouldn’t be here asking for variances,” she said. In an impassioned plea to the ZBA, noting that she came to Plympton for its rural character, German emphatically said several times to the board, “We depend on you to protect us.”

German raised several concerns, including noting that an endangered species of turtle is known to breed in the area.

Angley suggested that considering endangered species in their decision was outside the purview of the ZBA.

When German raised concerns about possible health effects, including cancer, Angley also stated that this was outside the purview of the ZBA.

According to Angley, federal law preempts state and local laws in telecommunications, and that gaps in service are required by federal law to be filled. Angley claims there is no other place to go, including other properties or even the church steeple, which they claimed was investigated for this purpose and rejected.

Another resident noted that, “Anecdotally, we have no problem [with cellphone service].”

The meeting eventually descended into confusion over exactly how to measure from the tower to abutting properties, and the board wished to notify an even wider swath of residents, within 800 feet of the center of the tower to the edge of their property lines.

This is more notification than is required by Plympton bylaws, but the board expressed that they wanted to make sure all those affected were aware of the situation.

The applicants were not pleased, pushing back on the further notification and delays.

Robert German, also of 63 Palmer Road, said, “They don’t care about human life, animal life…they’re just here to make money.”

Industrial Tower and Wireless representatives acknowledged that no one at the hearing was on their side. Nonetheless, they vowed to continue to push forward.

The ZBA will conduct a site visit within the next two weeks, and the hearing was continued until 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 24.

Halifax celebration fireworks over the HOPS Playground on June 30

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Fireworks shot with various burst of colors and shapes entertained seated viewers and neon string lights across a vendor tent at the event illuminated the foreground.

Siblings Gavin, 5, and Sidney Goldie, 6, of Halifax had a friendly competition in the potato sack races at the Halifax celebration fireworks over the HOPS Playground

Hayden Dow, 3, of Halifax at left watched the goats move closer as he dropped grass in for them to eat.

A Fourth of July turkey strutted on the Town Green as part of the petting zoo area.

Lyla Burgess, 4, of Halifax, had her face painted by volunteer Caitlin Nolan.

Silver Lake Regional gets creative to light up the fields

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee voted to explore whether or no cuts from capital planning are possible in order to install new lights at the football field. The entire June 28 meeting was dedicated solely to finding out if this funding is possible.

Silver Lake Girls Basketball Coach Olly DeMacedo made a proposal to try to eliminate roughly $200,000 of the light’s cost.

DeMacedo works for Boston Sand and Gravel and runs several of its companies outside the city. One of those businesses is Plympton-based Lawrence Ready Mix. He said his company will donate all the concrete and labor to erect the lights.

DeMacedo said, “I’m here on behalf of our community to try to make it happen one more time.”

After the donated concrete and labor, DeMacedo proposed it would cost the school district about $180,000 to buy the lights. He said he’d rather see the school buy the lights instead of leasing them.

DeMacedo said, “They’re legitimate 80 foot poles, galvanized steel, they’ll be here a long time.”

Part of why he believes it’s a good idea to buy the lights now is because, DeMacedo predicts, the price of steel will go up over the next few years.

Other positive reasons DeMacedo provided include:

• All the old infrastructure from the previous lights is already installed in the ground.

• The LED lighting will save the school money compared to the previous lights the field sued to have.

• No disruptions need to be made to the playing surface during installation.

If the School Committee were to take a vote soon, DeMacedo said he can get the lights up before the high school’s first football game on September 7.

Other Funding Sources

Two other funding sources were discussed during the meeting. They include additional funding in next year’s state budget and crowdsourcing from a Go Fund Me page.

DeMacedo’s brother State Senator Vincent DeMacedo discussed a potential way to give back possibly $75,000 of the funds next year. Senator DeMacedo said he could have tried for this year if he had known about this sooner, but the earmark for this year’s budget has already closed.

He said he will try to file an amendment for it to pass next year, which he thinks it probably would, although there is no guarantee.

Silver Lake teacher Stephanie Ritchie said a Go Fund Me page is up to try to help fundraise for the lights. She said the best way to raise more money is with word of mouth awareness.

Ritchie said, “Contact the circles of people you know because we all have circles of people.”

Coach DeMacedo also plans to do fundraising with the boosters. He hopes to get at a minimum $15,000 but thinks $25,000 is a better number to aim for.

Committee Discussion

School Committee member Jason Frasier asked Coach DeMacedo what the plan would be as far as a timeline if the committee were to approve a transfer from capital planning.

Coach DeMacedo said installation would take three to four weeks, but some other logistics might take time. He said he would start drafting the RFP for going out to bid tomorrow.

Several committee members acknowledged making this transfer would be difficult because it would mean a cut from another pressing area of need.

Frasier said some of the things currently funded under capital planning include funding to make the administrative building handicapped accessible and fixing water damage at the middle school and elementary schools.

“The money is going to come from somewhere and it’s going to hurt,” Frasier said.

A transfer from the operating budget was also discussed, but Frasier said taking from the operating budget would affect teacher salaries.

Superintendent Joy Blackwood said the cleanest cut might come from not getting the Kubota for snow removal. Others mentioned this opens the potential to need outside contracting for snow removal and that would affect the operating budget.

Prior to the Silver Lake School Committee’s July 12 meeting, they will reconvene as the Safety Facilities Fee and Revenues Committee to explore items that could potentially be cut from the capital plan to raise $80,000 for the lighting. The vote was unanimous.

Fire Dept. will stand: BOS gives approval for stand-alone fire department

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In an announcement from Elizabeth Dennehy, Town Administrator for Plympton, the Board of Selectmen recommitted their support for a stand-alone fire department.

Recent talks with Halifax exploring the possibility of shared services or some shared services, never really got off the ground.  Following the joint meeting of Plympton and Halifax, and the recommendations of Plympton’s Fire Consultant, Middleboro Fire Chief Lance Benjamino, measures have already been taken toward resolving some long-standing issues that had resulted in a poorly functioning department.

Benjamino’s recommendations to selectmen at their last meeting encouraged the board.  He also issued a caution, however, that the work needs to be continued to see continued results.  Benjamino told the board that his group, the Fire Chiefs Association of Plymouth County, could help in the selection of qualified candidates for the position of Fire Chief, if the board would like.

Dennehy’s statement follows:

“As many citizens are aware, local officials and a Fire Technical Advisory Committee that was appointed by the Board of Selectmen have been evaluating the Town’s Fire/EMS operations over the last several months in order to better position the Plympton Fire Department to provide professional public service in a fiscally responsible manner.

Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) conducted an in-depth study of the Town’s Fire/EMS operations and prepared an extensive report for the Town’s consideration. MRI’s report, along with the presentation they made to the Town, are available for viewing on the Town’s website: https://www.town.plympton.ma.us/

Accordingly, the Town of Plympton is pleased to announce that we have committed to continuing forward with efforts to stabilize and restructure the Plympton Fire Department, in order to remain a viable stand-alone Department, under the capable oversight of our Fire Management Consultant, Chief Lance Benjamino, and through the daily operations management of Captain Cheryl Davis. Additionally, we will be working with Chief Benjamino on developing the criteria for selection of the Town’s next Fire Chief.

Since early April 2018, the Town was engaging in communications with the Town of Halifax to explore the potential for a shared services model. In light of the financials associated with such a model, along with consideration of the significant progress that has been made at the Plympton Fire Department over the last several weeks and the renewed sense of pride that the dedicated men and women of the Department have demonstrated, we believe we need to focus our efforts on the continued stabilization of the Department and establishing a framework for future success as a stand-alone Department.

We will, however, continue conversations with Halifax and other neighboring communities into the future regarding other options for sharing services and resources, specifically including training opportunities that would benefit multiple Fire Departments.

Over the last few weeks, tremendous progress has been made with respect to stabilizing and examining how to best restructure the Plympton Fire Department in order to provide effective, efficient and responsive service to our residents. Additionally, through the expertise of Chief Benjamino, the Department has been able to implement numerous recommendations contained within the MRI Report.

The Town of Plympton would like to thank the Town of Halifax and their Fire Chief, Jason Viveiros, for all of the effort they put into the process and for being a great neighbor to the Town of Plympton. We look forward to seeing how both communities may benefit from shared training exercises and opportunities in the future.”

Silver Lake RSD chosen for stability program review

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Silver Lake Regional Assistant Superintendent Jill Proulx at the June 4 Halifax School Committee meeting announced that the Silver Lake Regional School District was selected for a state educational stability program review.

Proulx described the state educational stability program review as an assessment that makes sure students in vulnerable or unique circumstances get the attention they need.

She said, “It is our review to the extent at which we are meeting the regulations in terms of the rights to homeless students, foster students, and military involved families.”

The required forms were submitted for review after making some assessments. Part of the pre-submission process also involved reaching out to the homeless liaison for each of the three districts within Silver Lake Regional.

Proulx said the assessment may bring about some new things at the school level in the future. One thing likely to be added is additional training for staff in relation to homeless students, foster students, and military involved families.

The school also awaits potential changes to foster care policy in the future. The district is waiting for recommendations at the state level.

Teacher Training Update

Silver Lake Regional High School is offering a course for teachers of all grade levels studying skills for teaching.

Proulx said the course is a district contractual requirement for all teachers within their first three years in the school district. “it is a research-based best practices course for teachers,” Proulx said.

Financial Update

During a school committee financial update, the utility area of the budget was reported to have a deficit of $1,275 this month. Last month, this deficit was at $9,000.

The Halifax School Committee’s financial update said the large decrease in the deficit was because of funding at the municipal level.

The Town of Halifax was able to secure some green community funding that helped bring the overall cost down.

Staffing Update

Halifax Elementary School is looking to fill in two open positions. Two special education teachers retired. The School Committee said one of those positions has been filled. The other open position is for a school behaviorist.

Other News

• The Halifax School building project is starting up. The committee announced that doors and window construction work should be started the week after students are out of school.

• The 2018-2019 school year begins August 29. The school year is scheduled to last until June 13, 2019. Superintendent Joy Blackwood joked saying she will do a better job “controlling the weather” this year.

Eagle Scout project approved

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Frank Rabuffetti of Boy Scout Troop 39 proposed his Eagle project to the Halifax Board of Selectmen at Tuesday’s meeting.

His project involves taking out some fencing at the blacksmith shop and replacing it with a new one. Rabuffetti said he will remove the shrubs growing underneath and around the old fence before putting up the new fencing.

After removing the shrubs, Rabuffetti plans to add mulch. Selectmen Chair Kim Roy asked if any new shrubs will be added. Rabuffetti said he will only mulch as it will be lower future maintenance for the town.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen unanimously approved Rabuffetti’s Eagle project. He will start at the beginning of July and hopes to finish by the middle of July. Rabuffetti turns 18 in August, so this will allow him to get his Eagle project done beforehand.

Town Audit Team Hired

The Board of Selectmen hired Wakefield, Massachusetts based Powers and Sullivan LLC as Halifax’s financial audit firm for the next three years.

Firm partners Craig Peacock and Frank Serreti previously interviewed with a financial team appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Roy said this was the final step after the financial team picked from three finalists.

Peacock said their firm tries to do more than conduct the standard financial audits. Rather, he said, his firm tries to improve efficiency and help the town learn something. “As a firm, our goal is to add value,” Peacock said.

According to Peacock, a large part of adding value is how the business conducts itself. He said they have never missed a deadline and described Powers and Sullivan as “self-contained.” Peacock said Powers and Sullivan stays “self-contained” by bringing their own resources such as laptops and internet routers.

Selectman Troy Garron asked who in the South Shore Powers and Sullivan has worked with since Peacock said the firm is often in the area despite being a North Shore based firm. Peacock said Powers and Sullivan has worked with Lakeville, Carver, Abington, Plymouth, and Marshfield. Roy said she was pleased with this and some of Cape Cod towns the company works with because some of the communities are benchmark communities Halifax uses for comparison purposes.

As far as managerial contacts, Peacock will be the town’s onsite partner and work directly with the audit team. Peacock said he wants this process to have an open dialogue and said all comments the audit team makes will go through a draft process to make sure the team’s assessments are accurate.

Peacock said, “We will never blindside the town with comment. We’re here to work together.”

Halifax Establishes Zoning Bylaw Committee

Given the lack of a solution at Annual Town Meeting regarding the bylaw surrounding multifamily homes, the Halifax Board of Selectmen decided to establish the Zoning Bylaw Committee.

When speaking about starting the committee, Selectman Thomas Millias said, “Let’s clean up the language. Let’s present something that makes sense.”

The committee is set-up to be a nine member committee with a required five member quorum. Some of the members include Millias, Planning Board Chair Gordon Andrews, and Dan Borsari from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Andrews said he is looking for input from the general public. The committee currently has seven members, but said he is hoping two people want to step up to be a part of the process.

Halifax Elementary Siding Repair Update

The contractor working on making siding repairs at Halifax Elementary School sent a proposal request to the town citing the need to repair termite damage.  Seelig said the damage is old and the school does not have any current problems with termites.

Other News

• The fireworks committee still needs volunteers for afternoon and evening activities. The fireworks are this Saturday, so call the Board of Selectmen’s office for more information on volunteering.

• The Board of Selectmen approved a $14,000 contract for Vertex to oversee the removal of aspestos as part of the school repair project.

• Roy is meeting with Plympton Selectmen John Traynor and others from Plympton to continue discussing a potential intermunicipal agreement between Plympton and Halifax involving Fire/EMS services.

The next Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 10.

Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

Dang sentenced to life in prison

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Soi Dang, 34, formerly of Halifax was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 20 years by Plymouth Superior Court judge Cornelius J. Moriarty, II on Friday, June 22, 2018. Dang was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2015 stabbing death of Marissa Randall, 19, of Revere, the day before. He was remanded to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole.

The lengthy, eight-day trial ended with nearly eight hours of jury deliberations before the conviction and sentencing. The Commonwealth had sought a charge of first-degree murder.

“Mr. Dang stabbed the victim, left her for dead, and then went on to work and the rest of his day,” District Attorney Timothy Cruz said. “At sentencing today, relatives described Ms. Randall as a loving, sensitive and caring person, whose loss devastated their family. I hope that this family can now move on and begin to find some peace.”

At the sentencing, Randall’s mother, Annmarie Stoilov, and Randall’s younger brother gave emotional victim impact statements. Both were crying as they described to the judge how their daughter and sister’s loss has affected them. They both said they now have trouble trusting people.

Stoilov begged the judge to sentence Dang to the maximum sentence of life in prison with the chance of parole in 25 years.

The defense counsel, Timothy Bradl, a former ADA, asked the judge for a sentence of life with the chance of parole in 15 years for his client. He also asked the judge to reduce the sentence to involuntary manslaughter, which was denied.

The case began when Randall’s body was discovered by Halifax Police the day after the stabbing, said the district attorney’s office. Halifax Police were searching for a missing Duxbury minor– as part of a separate investigation– who they found with Dang that day by tracking her cell phone to his address. The girl, who Halifax Police returned to Duxbury Police, told Duxbury officers she had seen blood at Dang’s apartment, and that he said he had killed someone the night before.

Halifax Police returned, where Dang freely admitted them into his apartment at 46A Wamsutta Avenue, where they observed blood and a female body wrapped in a blanket. State Police were immediately contacted, says the DA’s office, and the incident was investigated by Halifax Police, State Police assigned to the district attorney’s office, the State Police Crime Scene Services and the State Police Crime Lab.

The investigation revealed that Dang and Randall had met to exchange money for sex after meeting online. The encounter turned into a struggle after a dispute about the amount of money to be exchanged, and Dang fatally stabbed Randall multiple times.

He bound Randall’s body with zip-ties, wrapped it in either a blanket or a plastic tablecloth and hid it in a closet.

Dang then drove to the Castel Island area of South Boston, took a half hour nap, and returned to his job as a produce worker at Shaw’s Supermarket in Carver the next morning.

Halifax Selectman Kim Roy said, “I’m grateful to the Halifax Police and all the law-enforcement personnel for their hard work in bringing a murderer to justice. I’d especially like to recognize Officers Rob McDonnell and Michael Schleiff for following their instincts in this case, or it may never have been solved.”

Whitman man charged with MV homicide in Halifax crash

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A Whitman man has been indicted on charges that he was operating under the influence of alcohol when he caused a crash that killed a Carver man, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced June 22.

A Plymouth County Grand Jury returned indictments against Alec Dowie (DOB: 09/15/66) of Whitman, charging him with one count each of Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle and Operating Under the Influence, third offense. He will be arraigned in Brockton Superior Court on the charges at a later date.

On February 6, 2018 at 6:45 p.m., Halifax Police and Fire responded to the area of 38 Monponsett Street for a report of a two-car crash. Upon arrival, police found a 2018 Dodge Challenger operated by Dowie, had crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a 2005 Honda CRV operated by Richard March (DOB: 08/08/39) of Carver. Both operators were transported from the crash scene for treatment of their injuries. March was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston where he succumbed to his injuries just after 9 p.m. that same night.

Halifax Police contacted State Police Detectives with the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and an investigation commenced with the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department BCI and State Police CARS Unit. The investigation found that Dowie had a Blood Alcohol Content Level of 0.084 and Dowie tested positive for Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and Opiates in his system. Dowie told investigators that he took a Percocet prior to the crash.

Assistant District Attorney Russell Eonas is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Halifax Police, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department BCI and State Police CARS Unit.