Pelham News : Accident

Falling tree takes trick-or-treater’s life

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:16:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Flowers and handwritten notes have grown around the stump of a white birch brought down by high winds, killing 10-year-old Christian Gualtieri while he was trick-or-treating in Pelham on Oct. 31.

The day after Christian was pronounced dead at the Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell, Mass., a single arrangement of flowers and a handwritten note reading “We love and miss you Christian” marked the location of the tragedy at 14 Fineview Circle. A silent vigil of teddy bears and stuffed animals now rings the stump. Others placed bouquets of flowers and homemade cards.

“We will miss you, our prayers will go out to your family,” reads one. “Don’t think of him as gone away. His journey has just begun. Rest in peace,” read another.

Christian was trick-or-treating near his Susan Drive home trick-or-treating with about 20 neighborhood children when a strong gust of wind snapped the tree about 6:35 p.m., authorities said. He was at the end of a driveway away from the other children.

Nancy Gualtieri, Christian’s grandmother, said his loss devastated the family.

“We’re not doing well at all,” she said, who struggled to maintain her composure.

Gualtieri described her grandson as a wonderful boy with a great personality. He was caring, funny and an athlete. The night he died, Christian dressed up as a clown, she recalled.

“He was my baby and I took care of him a lot when he was little,” Gualtieri said. “He was what a grandmother would always want in a grandson.”

Christian was a fifth-grader at Saint Jeanne d’Arc School in Lowell, Mass., his grandmother said, and would have celebrated his 11th birthday Nov. 5.

“There is no rational explanation for this tragedy,” wrote Sister Prescille Malo, Christian’s principal, in a statement. “His smile was contagious and affability was his trademark. As a faith community we will deal with this challenge in prayer and mutual support.”

In the wake of Christian’s death, grief counseling is available at the school, Malo said. Counseling also is available at Pelham Elementary, according to principal Alicia LaFrance.

A few students asked to speak with counselors yesterday, LaFrance said. Parents were alerted to the accident by the school’s e-mail system Sunday, she said.

Though he attended private school, Pelham school officials are treating Christian’s death as they would the loss of any student in the community, said Frank Bass, superintendent of schools. In the days ahead, Bass plans to reach out to the family.

Christian’s parents could not be reached for comment.

Neighbor Joanne Anderson echoed Christian’s grandmother, calling the tragedy “devastating.” “It’s the timing,” she said. “It could have fallen at any time, and it picked that time. As a Christian, I have to believe that God allowed it to happen.”

Route 28 crash kills Pelham man

Salem Editor — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:29:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

A Pelham man was killed when his 2005 Toyota Prius collided with another vehicle on Route 28 in Windham.

Robert Saitow, 51, of Vassar Drive, Pelham, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The accident occurred at 5:13 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, north of Aladdin Road.

According to Windham Police Capt. Patrick Yatsevich, it appears that the vehicles hit head on.

The other vehicle was a 1998 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Its driver, Eddy Dube, 59, of Stark Road, Derry, was airlifted to Boston Medical Center.

His injuries include a punctured lung and fractures to his pelvis, ribs, jaw and ankles. He underwent surgery that night.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by Windham police and the Derry Police Department’s traffic accident reconstruction unit.

Although police received several calls reporting the accident, there were no witnesses when officers arrived at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to call Windham officer Greg Malisos at 603-434-5577.

Driver clips Pelham officer at accident scene

Salem Editor — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:38:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

A Pelham police officer narrowly escaped serious injury when a pickup truck grazed him, tearing the portable radio off his duty belt and breaking his Taser gun holster.

Master patrolman Eugene Stahl was responding to a singlecar accident on Windham Road around 3 a.m., Friday, Nov. 9, when he signaled to the driver of a Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck to slow down.

The driver, who police have identified as Daniel Silva of Lowell, Mass., crossed the fog line and struck Stahl, according to police.

Silva continued driving south until Stahl got back in his cruiser and pulled him over.

Stahl had responded to the accident and was preparing to deploy his K-9 to find the driver who had left the scene when Silva allegedly hit him.

Both Stahl’s cruiser and a tow truck at the scene had lights flashing when Silva approached, Police Chief Joseph Roark said.

Stahl reported that Silva drove at a high rate of speed.

The day after the accident, Stahl complained of soreness and bruising on his side.

Silva is charged with felony reckless conduct, driving while under the influence of alcohol and speeding. He was released on $5,000 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned in Salem District Court on Nov. 26.