A Charlton, Massachusetts middle school teacher was killed in a bicycle accident on Route 20 westbound in Charlton on Friday.
State Police say John Paire, 40, was struck around 3:35 p.m. by a motorist driving a 1997 Audi A4 sedan. They say the 54-year-old driver from Wilbraham, who is not being identified at this time, immediately stopped at the scene and has cooperated with the investigation.
The crash occurred near South Sturbridge Road in Charlton, and a preliminary investigation indicates that Paire came out of a side street just prior to being struck.
The Dudley Superintendent emailed Charlton Regional Schoool District families saying in part, "By now, many of you are already aware of the tragic news that we have lost one of the truly great people our school district has ever known. John Paire, longtime administrator at Dudley Middle School, current teacher at Charlton Middle School and a dear friend to many of us, was killed in a tragic accident while riding his bicycle yesterday. John was one of the true champions of the 'students first' philosophy that permeates our district. Every decision he made was with the best interest of the kids in mind... I can tell you with 100% certainty that he loved our students, and that he would do anything to help them succeed. Additionally, any staff member who took good care of the students had John’s unconditional support. He was the rare leader who cared about people for more than their role within the school. He cared about them as people, he cared about their families, and he made decisions with compassion, sincerity and commitment to his core beliefs."
Dudley Middle School, Charlton Middle School and Shepherd Hill will all be open Sunday September 17 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for students, staff and community members to gather and grieve together.
The crash remains under investigation.
