A Massachusetts community is mourning the loss of Stephen LaPorta, a 43-year-old officer with the Uxbridge Police Department who was killed in the line of duty after being struck by a tractor-trailer during an overnight response.
Authorities identified LaPorta as the on-duty officer who was assisting a motorist on the side of the highway around 12:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when the fatal collision occurred. According to NBC affiliate WBTS-CD and ABC affiliate WCVB, he was helping a driver following a crash when he was hit. The Boston Globe reported that conditions at the time were dangerously icy.
Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures, but LaPorta was pronounced dead at the scene. The motorist he had stopped to help was not injured. The driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to the Globe. An investigation led by Massachusetts State Police remains ongoing, and no charges have been filed.
Officer Stephen LaPorta died while assisting a driver during hazardous winter road conditions, leaving behind a wife and a 13-year-old son.
A community gathers in uniform
More than a week later, hundreds of law enforcement officers assembled to honor LaPorta’s life and service. Officers lined the intersection outside of St. Mary’s Church in Franklin before the 11 a.m. funeral service. Cameras were not permitted inside the church.
Following the service, LaPorta was laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Uxbridge. His body had previously been escorted from the crash scene by a procession of police vehicles.
LaPorta lived in Uxbridge and had deep professional roots in the region. Before becoming a full-time officer in Uxbridge in June 2024, he worked for 17 years in Mendon as a full-time dispatcher and detail officer. The department noted in a Facebook tribute that he had also served as a full-time dispatcher while working part-time patrol shifts prior to his full-time appointment.
“There are no words. A Wife lost a Husband. A Son lost his Dad. A Community Lost their Police Officer. We Lost our Friend,” the Uxbridge Police Department wrote. “We are Heartbroken beyond measure.”
Uxbridge Police Chief Marc Montminy said last week, “Officer LaPorta gave his life in service to this community, a sacrifice that we will never forget. In our eyes he is a hero. This is a devastating loss to our department and our community.”
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey also addressed the loss in a separate statement, saying she was heartbroken by the news. She noted that LaPorta responded to a dangerous situation and “put the public’s safety first,” adding that he “tragically made the ultimate sacrifice.” Healey ordered flags to be flown at half-mast in his honor and asked residents to reflect on his bravery and the work of law enforcement.
In Uxbridge, roughly 45 miles southwest of Boston, the impact of LaPorta’s death continues to be felt — not only as a professional loss, but as a personal one for a family and a community now left without one of their own.
