Massachusetts State Police release details, circumstances, concerning Westport pedestrian crash that killed New Bedford’s Sherry Henderson

Massachusetts State Police have released details concerning a fatal pedestrian crash in Westport.

According to Dave Procopio of Massachusetts State Police, at just after 10:00 p.m. Monday, Massachusetts State Police patrols and Westport Fire and EMS responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Route 195 east in Westport. Responding personnel located the pedestrian, a 51-year-old New Bedford woman, on the roadway with obvious fatal injuries. The vehicle that struck the victim, a 2010 Ford Fusion operated by a 21-year-old New Bedford woman, remained on scene.

Preliminary investigation by the State Police-Dartmouth Barracks, State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and State Police Detective Unit for Bristol County indicates the following.

The operator of the Ford Fusion, which was also occupied by a 20-year-old female passenger, was eastbound on 195, travelling from Fall River toward New Bedford, when in the area of the 15.8 mile marker in Westport she suddenly observed the vehicle traveling in front of her in the right lane move over to the middle lane. The Fusion then struck the victim, who was on foot, and then immediately pulled over and called 911 herself. Troopers identified two other motorists who witnessed the crash and stated that the victim suddenly ran out into the roadway, causing one car to swerve to avoid her, before she was struck by the second car which was not able to avoid hitting her. Troopers observed the Fusion operator to have no signs of impairment.

Troopers later identified the victim as Sherry M. Henderson, 51, of New Bedford. Subsequent investigation determined that Henderson had been traveling in a car on Route 195 east with her boyfriend when they got into an argument. The male, who was driving the car, pulled over and Henderson exited his vehicle. At some point Henderson then entered the right travel lane and was struck by the Fusion. The boyfriend drove away from the scene before first responders arrived; a short time later, while Troopers were on scene at the crash site, the boyfriend called New Bedford Police to report that Henderson had been struck on the highway. State Police subsequently conducted an interview of the boyfriend. The boyfriend’s name was not released.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been organized by Henderson’s family for funeral expenses.

The investigation into the crash remains ongoing pending development of any additional information and a postmortem examination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.