Somerville Police Officer Dies From Injuries In Crash; Suspect Rearrested

SOMERVILLE (CBS) - The veteran Somerville police officer who was critically hurt in a motorcycle crash in New Hampshire last weekend has died.

Officer Louis Remigio, 55, of Tewksbury, passed away Monday night at Portsmouth Hospital, according to a spokesperson for the city of Somerville.

New Hampshire State Police said he was riding his motorcycle on I-95 at the Greenland-North Hampton line Sunday morning when 18-year-old Michael Ricci of Burlington crashed into him head-on in the southbound lanes.

Witnesses told investigators that Ricci had been racing other cars in a Mercedes-Benz in the northbound lanes before he crossed the highway and ran into Remigio.

Ricci posted $10,000 cash bail and was released Monday afternoon. He is scheduled to be arraigned on felony reckless conduct charges in Rockingham County Superior Court on October 20. New Hampshire State Police said additional charges in the case are possible.

On Tuesday, Ricci was arrested by Burlington Police on an outstanding warrant not related to the fatal crash. Officers say Ricci was wanted out of Lowell Juvenile Court on a probation violation from a prior case. He was arrested without incident at his home and did not say anything as he was put into a police cruiser.

Remigio's body was escorted from Portsmouth, NH to the Doherty Funeral Home in Somerville. Police officers and firefighters stopped to pay their respects along the procession route.

Remigio was a 30-year veteran of the department. He had received multiple honors for his service, including two life-saving awards.

"Louie was a first class human being and exactly the kind of police officer you want serving your community; he was tough yet kind, empathetic, and fair. As a Chief, you always want to see that any interaction your officers have with community members are changing people's lives for the better, and Officer Remigio embodied that one thousand percent," Somerville Police Chief David Fallon said in a statement Tuesday.

At a mid-morning press conference, he said, "Today, our main focus is on his family, his two daughters: Alex and Danielle, his extended family, his sisters and we're praying for them and support them in every way we can. That's really our focus going forward."

Remigio's wife passed away in 2016. He leaves behind two daughters.

"He epitomized everything an officer should be. He had compassion, he was professional, he was engaging and he was friendly," said Mayor Joesph Curtatone.

In a statement, he added, "Whether responding to an emergency, conducting his daily duties, or assisting with one community event or another, Lou met each person with compassion, with a smile, and he was known for going the extra mile to keep our residents safe. His loss will be immeasurable in the Somerville Police Department, and today we grieve as a community for Officer Remigio, for his family, and for his brothers and sisters in the Somerville Police Department."

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports