A truck driver who fatally struck a Massachusetts police officer and a utility employee in Waltham, pulled a knife on another officer, stole his cruiser and crashed has an “unbroken chain” of crimes going back to 1996, a prosecutor said at a detention hearing Thursday.
A judge ordered that Peter Simon, 54, of Woodsville, New Hampshire, continue to be held without bail as he awaits trial on charges stemming from the Dec. 6 crashes in Waltham that killed Waltham police Officer Paul Tracey, 58, and a 36-year-old National Grid worker identified as Roderick Jackson, of Cambridge.
While Simon hasn't been convicted of anything, prosecutors argued that he is a danger to himself and the public. They also said he has a record of driving away from New Hampshire authorities.
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In front of a packed courtroom Thursday, prosecutors went into detail about the person Simon is and the lengthy criminal record he's accumulated up to this point.
Jackson's mother, brother and two sisters attended the hearing, and issued a statement afterward through their attorney thanking the community for their support and saying they have been closely monitoring the proceedings against Simon. They said they are pleased with the judge's decision to deny bail and plan to file a civil lawsuit against Simon in the near future.
Simon was driving a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck on Totten Pond Road on Dec. 6, 2023, when he attempted to do a U-turn in traffic and struck a Jeep Wrangler, causing his truck to go up on two wheels before slamming back down and driving off, according to prosecutors.
About a quarter of a mile down the road, Simon is accused of crashing his truck into a police detail and National Grid crew working on a possible gas leak, killing 58-year-old Tracey and 36-year-old Jackson and injuring two other National Grid employees.
Simon is now accused of multiple charges, including two counts of manslaughter, armed robbery, assault and leaving the scene of an accident. He appeared in court Thursday to be arraigned on several additional charges, including negligent operation of a motor vehicle and failing to stop for a police officer. Not guilty pleas have been entered on his behalf for all charges.
Additionally, the NBC10 Boston Investigators learned that Simon was involved in another police pursuit back in 2009 in Keene, New Hampshire. Police tried to fire several shots in an attempt to stop him, but he sped through a crowded parking lot at speeds of about 100 mph before crashing into a bus — almost taking the life of one man.
Instead of being criminally convicted, Simon was committed to a secure psychiatric unit and transferred to New Hampshire Hospital, where he underwent treatment. After five years, he was out of the hospital.
Simon's next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29. His lawyer, Lynda Dantas, said some of the charges on his record were dismissed and mentioned there are “significant mental health issues here,” without specifying them.
Simon has a “complete mental health network” in New Hampshire and an apartment, said Dantas, who asked for home confinement, including an electronic monitoring device. She asked that he be allowed to leave for medical treatment only.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
