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2 Of 7 Motorcyclists Killed In Randolph, NH Crash Were From Massachusetts

RANDOLPH, N.H. (CBS) – Two of the seven people killed in a horrific crash of motorcycles in northern New Hampshire were from Massachusetts, according to a witness.

Manny Ribeiro, the new president of the Massachusetts chapter of Jarheads MC, told WBZ-TV he was among several members riding on Route 2 in Randolph, N.H. Friday evening when a pickup truck carrying a trailer crashed into the group. Seven died and three others were hurt.

Ribeiro said the group was in town for their annual meeting. They had just left the Mount Jefferson View Motel on their way to the American Legion post in Gorham, N.H. for a charity event. They had gone only 500 feet when the crash happened.

randolph new hampshire crash
Seven people were killed in a crash on Route 2 in Randolph, NH June 21, 2019. (Photo credit: Miranda Thompson)

"The pack was struck head-on by a truck travelling in the opposite direction that crossed the double yellow lines and continued into the tree line, catching fire," Ribeiro said in a phone interview Saturday night. "Five of our pack's members and two family members were killed."

Investigators will not release the names of seven people killed until all of their families have been notified. Ribeiro, who lives in Pembroke, said two of the seven were from Massachusetts. The others were from New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island, he told WBZ.

Authorities identified the pickup truck driver Saturday as 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy of West Springfield, Massachusetts. He was working for Westfield Transportation at the time of the crash and was reportedly not hurt.

There have been no arrests at this point in the investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board has a team in Randolph looking into what happened and why.

A candlelight vigil was held at the Whitman VFW to honor the victims Saturday night.

"One goes down, we all go down. It's so true, that's why we wanted to do something tonight for them," Army veteran Michael Oldham told WBZ-TV.

"We're all leaning on each other right now. That's what Marines do," Ribeiro said.

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