No Charges in Fatal Pittsfield Crash

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An image of the pickup truck after the collision on May 25 that was provided by the DA's Office.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The driver of a pickup truck involved in a fatal accident on West Housatonic Street last May will not be charged. 
 
According to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, the DA has declined to file criminal charges after an investigation demonstrated that the truck driver's operation of his vehicle did not meet the legal criminal standard of negligence for charges to issue.
 
John Tyska, 34, was driving his dirt bike west shortly before 7 p.m. on May 25 when he collided with the driver's side passenger door of a 2022 Honda Ridgeline operated by Peter Schettini, 53, also of Pittsfield, who was traveling south on Plymouth Street. 
 
Tyska collided with the truck after taking a fast turn from Plymouth Street onto West Housatonic Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
Investigation into the fatal collision uncovered the following facts:
  • Prior to the collision, the dirt bike was traveling at a high speed of between 55 and 65 mph on a street with a speed limit of 40 mph.
  • Prior to the collision, the dirt bike operator was driving in a manner indicative of avoiding the police. This included driving through a red light on West Street at approximately 60 to 70 mph when being followed by a police car that had activated its blue lights.  
  • The lack of reaction time of the truck driver was due to the bike's operation.
The Pittsfield Police Department was the lead law enforcement agency on the case.
 
While the investigations may at times seem lengthy to the public, District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said he is committed to detailed investigations that thoroughly review all facts in a case.

Tags: fatal,   MVI,   

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Truck Crashes Into Pittsfield's Samel's Deli

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Elm Street will be partially closed as cleanup continues. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wednesday morning was busy for Pittsfield first responders, as a pickup truck crashed into Samel's Deli & Catering and a fire broke out on First Street.

Around 9:45 a.m., the police reported that the street in front of Samel's Deli & Catering would be closed or down to one lane as a result of a two-car collision that sent the truck careening into the deli.

The department posted two photos on Facebook, one depicting the silver truck with New York license plates crashed through the glass of the front entrance and another of a white Honda CR-V with significant damage to the front end.

"A vehicle was coming out of one of the alleyways here and struck this truck, which continued into the building," Police Officer Craig Jones explained when iBerkshires arrived on the scene.

Jones reported that there was one injury but whether it was someone in the vehicles or in the deli. A crossing signal near Samel's front entrance was also taken out by the truck.

Around this time, crews worked to clear debris in front of the restaurant as the truck was towed away. That section of the road reopened around 11 a.m.

The police, firefighters and an ambulance responded to the accident and police intend to release a statement on the incident.

Around 6:15 a.m., the Fire Department reported that it had responded to a possible structure fire at 233-235 First St. Windows on all three floors of the multi-family building are now broken or boarded up and the cause is under investigation by the Fire Investigation Unit and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office.

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