Memorial For DJ 'Johnie Armani,' Killed In Swansea Crash

SWANSEA, MA — Friends and family will gather Tuesday to remember a local disc jockey killed in a Swansea crash last week. John Souza, 38, of Cranston, Rhode Island, died after police said a wrong-way driver hit his Jeep on Interstate 195 Thursday. Souza was trapped as his vehicle caught fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Souza was also a comedian and went by the stage name "Johnie Armani."

"He had a larger than life personality," his family wrote in his obituary. "John loved music, it was his passion. He loved comedy and was an artist in every sense of the word ... He had high aspirations and we all knew he was going places."

Souza's sister said at the time of the crash, he was headed home after DJing in Dartmouth, according to WJAR. Police said the driver of the vehicle that him was a 40-year-old woman from Bristol, Rhode Island. No charges have been announced.

Souza's wake is at Berarducci Funeral Home in Providence Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be a mass at Holy Ghost Church in Providence Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Souza's obituary concluded, "Whenever John came into a room, he was the one making us laugh, smile and if you were lucky, you got one of his great big Bear Hugs ... we will miss him not walking through the door and telling us jokes, playing pranks on us, practicing his comedy, we will miss him at every holiday, every celebration and we will miss him every day."

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Photo credit: Berarducci Funeral Home