Officer Stephen LaPorta, 43, of the Uxbridge Police Department was killed after being struck by a tractor-trailer while assisting a motorist on the shoulder of an icy highway around 12:40 a.m. on Jan. 7. Emergency crews attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene; the motorist was uninjured and the truck driver suffered minor injuries. Gov. Maura Healey ordered flags at half-staff and praised LaPorta’s bravery. Authorities say the crash remains under investigation.
Uxbridge Officer Stephen LaPorta, 43, Killed by Tractor-Trailer While Assisting Motorist on Icy Highway
Uxbridge Police Department
Stephen LaPorta, 43, an on-duty officer with the Uxbridge Police Department, was fatally struck by a tractor-trailer while helping a motorist on the shoulder of an icy highway early on Jan. 7, authorities said.
Uxbridge officials said the crash occurred at about 12:40 a.m. local time. Multiple local outlets, citing the Boston Globe, described road conditions at the time as dangerously icy. Emergency personnel performed life-saving measures at the scene, but LaPorta was pronounced dead there, the department confirmed.
The motorist LaPorta was assisting was not injured. The driver of the tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, according to reports.
Honoring an Officer
Following the crash, LaPorta’s body was escorted from the scene by a procession of police cruisers. The Uxbridge Police Department said LaPorta had joined the force as a full-time officer in 2024 after previously serving as a full-time dispatcher and working part-time patrol shifts.
"There are no words. A Wife lost a Husband. A Son lost his Dad. A Community Lost their Police Officer. We Lost our Friend. We are Heartbroken beyond measure," the department wrote in a Facebook tribute.
Gov. Maura Healey issued a statement offering prayers for LaPorta’s family and ordered flags flown at half-staff in his honor. "He knew he was headed into a dangerous situation when he responded to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash, but like all of our officers do day in and day out, he put the public’s safety first – and he tragically made the ultimate sacrifice," Healey wrote, asking residents to reflect on his bravery.
An investigation into the collision remains ongoing. The Uxbridge Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. LaPorta is survived by his wife and a 13-year-old child.
Help us improve.
