HADLEY — A man killed in a crash early Thursday morning has been identified as Gabriel Morales, 25, of Springfield.
According to the Northwestern district attorney’s office, Morales was killed after his vehicle struck a tree shortly before 2 a.m. after his vehicle left the road near a sharp curve in the vicinity of 143 Mill Valley Road.
Morales was the sole occupant of his vehicle, according to authorities, and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Prior to the crash, authorities said a Hadley police officer watched Morales make a wide turn from Mill Valley Road onto Route 9 that resulted in his vehicle leaving the pavement.
The officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle before watching the car go through a stop sign at the intersection of Mill Valley Road and South Maple Street, authorities said. The officer turned on the cruiser’s lights to try and stop the vehicle, at which point Morales’ vehicle accelerated out of view, authorities said.
About a half mile later, according to authorities, the officer came upon the crash scene and called for fire and ambulance support immediately.
Those investigating the crash include Hadley Police, Massachusetts State Police Detectives attached to the Northwestern district attorney’s office, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.