20-year-old Somerset woman identified in fatal crash with police cruiser

The crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Riverside Avenue and Westall Street.

SOMERSET — A 20-year-old girl was killed early Friday morning following a crash with a Somerset police cruiser.

According to the Bristol County District Attorney's office identified the girl as Hailey Allard, of Somerset. 

According to the district attorney's office, police were called to the area of Riverside Avenue and Westall Street around 12:35 a.m. Upon their arrival they found Allard's green Honda Civic facing south in the northbound travel lane on Riverside Avenue. They said Allard was transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

The Somerset officer was transported for treatment of non- life threatening injuries. Somerset Police Chief George McNeil previously said the officer was treated for a concussion.

The district attorney's office said the matter is active and currently being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police.

In a Facebook post issued by the Somerset Police Department at 8:45 a.m., they report the officer was responding to a report of a truck being broken into at the Grid Iron Pub.

"We are all saddened by this horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the person who passed away," the statement concluded.

Kristen Teixeira, who lives on Newhill Avenue near the site of the crash, said she heard the crash from her home and ran to the see what happened.

"We heard a large crash. It sounded like a can crunching. We ran down there within 20 seconds and the car was still spinning and the police cruiser was in the bushes," Teixeira said.

Texeira said she saw the officer trying to help the woman get out of the car but he couldn't get the door open. She described the officer as appearing in shock.

 

As other officers arrived Teixeira said she saw them break car windows to get to the woman and then they began CPR. A defibrillator was also used and oxygen was supplied to the woman.

Teixeira said that in speaking with other people driving at the time of the crash that they said the woman was turning when the crash occurred.

Somerset police are planning to provide more information later this morning.

As of 8:20 a.m. Thursday a portion of Riverside Avenue in the area of the crash remained closed.

Somerset Police Chief George McNeil said his officers notified the family of the woman killed in a crash early this morning.pic.twitter.com/BDXUrIrgWZ

— Kevin P. O'Connor (@HNKPO)August 10, 2018

We will continue to update this story as more information is released.