Fallen Endicott College Police Sgt. Jeremy Cole is being remembered for his kindness following his death in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 95 in Newbury, Massachusetts, early on Thanksgiving morning.
Condolences have poured in for the 49-year-old, from Exeter, New Hampshire, who was a husband and a father of four.
”My condolences go out to the Cole family,” Newbury Fire Chief David Evans said.
At Endicott, Sgt. Cole is also being remembered for his work with students and saving the life of a softball coach.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Sergeant Jeremy Cole, a devoted member of our Campus Public Safety & Police for 15 years. His kindness, professionalism, and commitment will never be forgotten," Endicott College wrote on social media. "Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time."
Endicott College Chief of Police Kerry Ramsdell released a statement on behalf of the school's public safety and police department expressing their deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to Sgt. Cole's family.
"This is an incredibly difficult time for our department. We are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss," Ramsdell wrote. "Sgt. Cole was not only a dedicated public servant and prior recipient of a lifesaving award, but also a cherished member of our team."
According to Ramsdell, Sgt. Cole had worked an evening shift on Endicott's campus and was driving home early on Thanksgiving morning when he was struck by a wrong-way driver.
“Our hearts are with the family, friends, and loved ones of a police officer who reported for duty keeping the rest of us safe and secure but did not return home," Ramsdell said. "We are committed to supporting them in any way we can through this unimaginable grief."
“On behalf of the family of Sgt. Cole, we kindly ask that everyone respects their privacy as they navigate this painful time," Ramsdell continued. "We share in their sorrow, and we are here for them."
Investigators say Sgt. Cole sustained fatal injuries in a head-on crash that was caused by a Tesla driver traveling on I-95 in the wrong direction.
Massachusetts and New Hampshire State Police had spotted the errant driver, but they were unable to deploy a tire-deflation device before the deadly collision.
It took firefighters a while to remove both drivers from their vehicles. Once freed, Sgt. Cole was pronounced dead on scene.
The operator of the Tesla -- a 40-year-old man -- was flown to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. State police have yet to identify the wrong-way driver but did say they expect to file charges against him at a later date.
”It was a pretty intense scene when we got there. Both vehicles based on the situation were in tough shape,” Evans said. "It’s not easy sometimes. We’ve all seen certain things, and everybody tries to deal with them in their own little way, but we’re here to help and try to pull people through those situations.”
"Sergeant Cole was just doing his job coming home after his shift. A horrific situation, especially on Thanksgiving,” Evans added.
Newburyport, Georgetown and Rowley firefighters provided assistance on scene, where one vehicle appeared to be completely mangled from the wreck.
The interstate was closed in both directions for several hours for the safety of motorists and first responders, police said. Portions of I-95 northbound remained closed early Thursday morning during the investigation.
Officials haven't said why the Tesla driver was traveling the wrong direction, or what charges he might be facing. The matter remains under investigation by the state police detectives assigned to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
