Salem Scooter Crash Victim Swerved To Avoid Skateboarder: Police

SALEM, MA — Salem police on Thursday identified the man killed in the scooter crash on Fort Avenue Saturday night as 28-year-old Dylan DeSousa, of Salem.

Police said DeSousa was thrown from his motorized Honda scooter in the crash about 7 p.m. and was later pronounced dead at Salem Hospital.

Massachusetts State Police are investigating the crash with their Accident Reconstruction Team, along with Salem police. Police said preliminary results from the investigation indicate DeSousa swerved to avoid an oncoming skateboarder, hit a curb and was thrown from his scooter.

"Accident reconstruction can be a lengthy, painstaking process, as complicated as any forensic investigation," Salem police said.

Police said Accident Reconstruction and the State Police investigation will look at the conditions and potential causes of the accident, including toxicology, compliance of the driver with motor vehicle laws, and what, if any, role other people, vehicles or structures had in the crash.

Police said the preliminary review indicates that DeSousa was riding the scooter in the multi-use lane and swerved to avoid the oncoming skateboarder. He then crossed two traffic lanes, struck a curb and was thrown from the scooter.

Police said the extent to which, if any, that one of the traffic lane delineators — often called "armadillos" — had in the crash is "speculative at this point" and that "neither the State police nor Salem police can say whether the delineators had any role in the accident."

Police said the only witness who has come forth thus far did not say that DeSousa struck one of the delineators.

Anyone who witnessed the accident, or has any information on the crash, is asked to contact the Salem Police Criminal Investigations Division at 978-745-9700 or call the anonymous tip line at 978-619-5627.

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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.)