Victim buried as police mull fatal Lynnfield Street crash

LYNN - Criminal charges had not been filed Tuesday against the driver of an SUV who apparently lost control and slammed into a man blowing leaves from the front lawn of his Lynnfield Street home on Oct. 30.

The victim, William T. Laurino, 60, 672 Lynnfield St., was scheduled for burial today following a noon funeral Mass at St. Pius V Church. He worked for the Essex County Sheriff's Department for 18 years and was deputy assistant superintendent in the records office at the time of his death. A father of two, he was also an associate member of the Lynn Zoning Board of Appeals.

Lynn police and state troopers assigned to an accident reconstruction team are still sifting through the circumstances in the death of Laurino, killed when a black Mitsubishi driven by Shawn Newhall, 41, of Lynn, plowed into him at about 4 p.m.

Laurino was pronounced dead at the scene. Newhall, who works at the Home Depot store in Salem, and his 5-year-old son were transported to different hospitals suffering from injuries. Both were listed in stable condition the day after the incident.

"The accident is still under investigation and currently no charges have been filed," said Carrie Kimball Monahan, a spokesman for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

Witnesses said Newhall apparently was trying to pass to the right of a van that had stopped in the street in order to make a left turn. Newhall may have lost control of his vehicle, which rolled over.

Although Newhall's friends have theorized he may have suffered a seizure or other medical problem that caused him to lose control of the vehicle, the district attorney's office declined to confirm or deny the comments, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Laurino was the longtime companion of Kristin MacLeod, and father of Michelle Bettinger and her husband, David Jr., of Lynn, and Michael T. Laurino of Kingston, N.H. He was the grandfather of Amanda and Adriana Bettinger.

He also leaves two brothers, Francis Laurino of West Redding, Conn., and Edward Laurino of Lynn. He was brother to the Patricia Calascibetta and the late Barbara Gulino.

Laurino is also survived by his former wife, Angela (LaFrance) Laurino, and several nieces and nephews. The funeral is today at 11 a.m. from the the Solimine, Landergan and Richardson Funeral Home, 426 Broadway in Lynn, followed by the church service.

July 2009

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