Billerica Police | MA

Press Release: Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Billerica Police Investigating Fatal Crash at Lynnway Auto Auction

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Billerica Chief of Police Daniel Rosa have confirmed that three people have died, six remain hospitalized and three individuals were transported to area hospitals, treated and released, as a result of a collision that occurred today at Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica.

At approximately 10:13 a.m. today, a 2006 Jeep SUV driven by an employee of Lynnway Auto Auction, a male in his 70’s, accelerated through the cinder block wall of the business striking multiple individuals. The incident occurred during a weekly Auto Auction. Two individuals, an adult male and an adult female, were pronounced dead on scene. Another adult female was transported to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries. One of the surviving victims is believed to have injuries that are considered life threatening.

The preliminary investigation into this matter suggests that this was not an intentional act. This incident is being investigated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Billerica Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police CARS unit.

Update May 4, 2017

Victims Identified in Fatal Crash at Lynnway Auto Auction

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Billerica Chief of Police Daniel Rosa have released the identities of the three people killed in yesterday’s fatal collision that occurred at Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica.

Brenda Lopez, 48, of Rhode Island, and Pantaleon Santos, 49, of Rhode Island, were pronounced dead at the scene. Leezandra Aponte, 36, of Lowell, was transported to Lahey Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Eight individuals were transported to area hospitals, treated and released:

33-year-old male
35-year-old male
38-year-old female
40-year-old male
50-year-old male
51-year-old male
51-year-old male
55-year-old male

A 55-year-old male remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

At approximately 10:13 a.m. yesterday, a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by an employee of Lynnway Auto Auction, a male in his 70’s, accelerated through the cinder block wall of the business striking multiple individuals. The incident occurred during a weekly auto auction.

Top row, left to right: Billerica Sgt. John Harring, Danvers Police Officer Justin Ellenton, Chelmsford Police Officer Nicholas Ziminsky and Chelmsford Police Officer David Leo.
Bottom row, left to right: Burlington Police Officer Joe Papsedero, Waltham Police Officer Chuck DiChiara, Andover Police Officer Micheal Connor, Belmont Police Officer Cory Taylor. (Courtesy Photo)

BILLERICA — Chief Daniel Rosa is pleased to announce that Billerica Police Sgt. John Harring was one of eight municipal law enforcement officers from Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) to attend an advanced search and rescue and suspect tracking course offered by the Department of Homeland Security.

The five-day class was held from March 27-31 in San Diego, Calif. Homeland Security Agent Christopher Hoelter led the class, which is called the BORTAC Tracking Course (Border Patrol Tactical Unit Tracking Course.)

The course included day and night scenarios, where officers learned how to find a “sign” and then use it to locate a missing person or suspect. A sign is a disturbance in the environment, often very small, that a person or group of people leave when travelling through an area. Students completed up to eight hours of practical exercises tracking the training staff.

“Our NEMLEC K-9 handlers respond to numerous missing person cases and suspect searches in our member communities and it is always important to sharpen our skills,” said Sgt. Harring, supervisor of the NEMLEC K-9 unit. “The tactics that our handlers learned during this training will enhance the skill sets they regularly use while working with their K-9 partners.”

This is the first time a municipal police agency has been asked to attend the class. The following NEMLEC officers attending the training:

• Officer David Leo, Chelmsford Police K-9
• Officer Nicholas Ziminsky, Chelmsford Police SWAT
• Officer Michael Connor, Andover Police K-9
• Officer Chuck DiChara, Waltham Police SWAT
• Officer Cory Taylor, Belmont Police K-9
• Officer Joe Papsedero, Burlington Police K-9
• Sgt. John N. Harring, Billerica Police K-9
• Officer Justin Ellenton, Danvers Police SWAT/K-9

Homeland Security Agent Christopher Hoelter was the lead instructor for the BORTAC Tactical Tracking Course. (Courtesy Photo)

Billerica – On Thursday, February 23, 2017, at approximately 3:00 AM, Billerica Police responded to the area of Route 3 North by exits 27 and 28 for a report of a failure to stop pursuit by Bedford Police. Information received from Bedford Police indicated that they were in pursuit of a vehicle previously having been sought by the Revere Police Department for a serious domestic related incident in their city. Furthermore, it was also learned that said vehicle was previously pursued by the Massachusetts State Police on various roadways in the Commonwealth following the incident in Revere.

Upon responding to Route 3 northbound in the area of exit 28, Officer Robert Moran was rammed from behind by the suspect vehicle, described as a blue 2009 Hyundai Sonata. At the time Officer Moran was rammed from behind, his police cruiser was in motion with its emergency lights activated. Both the Billerica Police Cruiser and the Hyundai Sonata were seriously damaged and disabled from the collision. Officer Moran, who sustained undetermined, non-life threatening injuries from the collision, was later transported to Lahey Hospital in Burlington. The operator of the Hyundai Sonata, subsequently identified as the individual being sought by Revere Police as Carolos Lomba, 45, of Revere, fled the scene on foot. A perimeter containment area was set up with assistance from Bedford and Mass State Police. After an approximate one hour search, Billerica Police apprehended Carlos Lomba following a short foot pursuit in the area of the Route 3 southbound off ramp by Treble Cove Road and Esquire Road.

Carlos Lomba was booked at the Billerica Police Department on numerous charges related to the operation of his vehicle on Route 3 and subsequent arrest, including Reckless Operation of a MV, Speeding, Marked Lanes Violations, Failure to Stop for Police, Leaving Scene of Motor Vehicle Accident with Personal Injury, and Resisting Arrest. Additional charges related to the collision into the Billerica Police cruiser are being sought by the Massachusetts State Police. Moreover, Carlos Lomba faces a litany of charges from the Bedford Police and Revere Police. Mr. Lomba will be arraigned on Billerica Police charges in Lowell District Court later today.

**All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court