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West Street was closed for three hours between Tor Court and Roberta Road after a worker was struck and killed.

Worker Struck and Killed on West Street

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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The work site was in the eastbound lane of West Street. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A worker died Thursday after being struck by a vehicle in a construction zone on West Street.
 
Police say Shane Cassavant, 49, of Lanesborough was working in the roadway when he was struck by an eastbound 2015 Chevrolet Colorado operated by Edward Ladouceur, 87, of Pittsfield, who entered the construction zone.
 
Cassavant was taken to Berkshire Medical Center where he later died of his injuries. 
 
The crash was reported at about 7:52 a.m. in the area of  777 West St.; police, fire, and Action Ambulance responded.
 
Prior to the crash, the eastbound lane was closed to traffic for construction and vehicles were being directed into the westbound lane by a flagger just west of Tor Court. Police did not provide what work Cassavant was doing or who he was working for. 
 
The area of West Street between Roberta Road and Tor Court was closed to traffic for about three hours while the investigation and roadway cleanup was underway.
 
Police posted the road closure to Facebook on Thursday morning, reporting a serious motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Berkshire Community College students were urged to seek alternative routes.
 
The incident remains under investigation by Police Officer David Hallas of the Traffic Unit. Any witnesses or individuals who drove through the construction zone prior to 7:50 a.m. are asked to contact Hallas at 413-448-9700.
 
Conversations on pedestrian safety have been centered on the West Street corridor this year after Pittsfield resident Shaloon Milord was struck and killed while crossing in front of Dorothy Amos Park in January.


 


Tags: fatal,   pedestrians,   

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BRPC Receives Grant for Alternative Mental Health Response Initiative

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The FY27 state budget includes $250,000 to establish a task force for an alternative mental health response in the hilltowns, such as Hinsdale, and beyond. 

State Sen. Paul Mark delivered this news to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission last week. 

"I'm sure people are aware of what happened with the shooting under a mental health distress call in Hinsdale, and obviously there's been a lot of concern about what happened and how we should proceed," he said at the BRPC's July 16 meeting, as a guest speaker. 

"And so I'm glad to kind of announce tonight unofficially that Berkshire Regional Planning has actually volunteered to be the recipient of $250,000 to establish a task force that is going to work alongside the Brien Center and the Sheriff's Office to try to figure out how we come up with some kind of an alternative mental health response in the hilltowns like Hinsdale." 

In January, 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil was fatally shot by police while suffering a mental health crisis. 

District Attorney Timothy Shugrue cleared Hinsdale Officer Jeffrey Spratt of criminal charges; however, while non-criminal, Shugrue said the investigation revealed concerns surrounding the Hinsdale Police Department and urged a formal review of its internal policies and applications to the Jan. 7 call. 

Last month, Hinsdale residents aired policing concerns during an information session at Town Hall. Some attendees emphasized that people do not feel safe calling 911 if they are experiencing a mental health crisis. 

A consultant is in the beginning stages of an administrative review of the department, which the town authorized $25,000 to fund. 

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