Charges Filed In Crash That Killed Salem Police Officer

SALEM, MA — Eight months after Salem police officer Dana Mazola was killed in a head-on collision on Jefferson Avenue, the man driving the car that struck Mazola's vehicle that night was issued a criminal complaint for motor vehicle homicide.

Juan Marinez, 26, of Salem suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the June 26 crash when police said his Ford Fusion struck the Toyota Corolla that Mazola, who was off duty at the time, was driving. Both were taken to North Shore Medical Center where Mazola was pronounced dead.

A Swampscott native, Mazola was a 31-year member of the Salem Police Department.

Marinez was summoned on Thursday to appear in Salem District Court on March 3 to face motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, speeding and marked lane violation charges.

The Essex County District Attorney's Office said detectives assigned to the office sought the complaint following an investigation that included the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.

Mazola was remembered as a compassionate and understanding police officer who prided himself in being able to deal with all people amid the most stressful of situations.

"He treated all people with dignity and respect and was an outstanding representative of the Department, and the law enforcement profession," former Salem Police Chief Mary Butler said at the time.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll called Mazola's death: "An unimaginable and heartbreaking loss."

Mazola grew up in Swampscott and graduated from Swampscott High School.

His family owned Mazola's Corner Store for several years. He started his law enforcement career in 1988 as a correctional officer at the Salem Jail and as an auxiliary police officer in Swampscott.

In 1989, he became a reserve police officer in Salem and was named a full-time police officer in 1990.

"No one could ask for a more loyal, dedicated and committed officer to serve the community and the Department the way Officer Mazola did every single day of his 31 years on the job. He was a man of integrity who had a heart as wide as the whole outdoors," Butler said at the time. "There is not a single officer or employee who knew him, past or present, who is not impacted by the tragic and sudden loss of Dana Mazola."

(Patch Editor Dave Copeland contributed to this report.)

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: 'An Unimaginable And Heartbreaking Loss' For Salem