A wake was held Wednesday to honor the memory of Dana Mazola, the off-duty Salem, Massachusetts police officer who died in a head-on car crash last week.
Mazola, 56, was in a serious car crash Thursday on Jefferson Avenue in Salem. Both drivers were transported to Salem Hospital, where Mazola was later pronounced dead.
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said she was "absolutely devastated" to learn of the death of a "patrol officer who worked hard every single shift."
Salem Chief of Police Mary Butler said Mazola was a 31-year veteran of the department who served the city "loyally and faithfully," adding that he would be greatly missed by his brothers and sisters.
A wake was held at O’Donnell Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square, Salem, with public safety officials only from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. before the service opened to the public until 8 p.m.
The Funeral service was scheduled to take place on Thursday in the Salem Common at 11 a.m. Guests were requested to be seated by 10:30 a.m. Mazola was scheduled to be escorted to the Swampscott Cemetery by the Salem Police Department.
Attendees were required to wear face coverings, maintain social distance and were being asked to avoid physical contact with the family, according to the Salem Police Department's Facebook page.
