Husband charged after Quincy woman killed by car

QUINCY, Mass. (WHDH) -- A Quincy woman was killed after she was hit by a car police say her husband was driving.

Beatrice Rivard and her adult son were walking on the sidewalk near the family’s home when the man struck both of them, killing the woman and seriously injuring her son.

"The defendant accelerated at such a force that he hit the son and ran over his wife causing her death," said Debi Curley, prosecutor.

Beatrice Rivard’s adult son was taken to the hospital and police confirmed that the woman’s husband was behind the wheel of the car.

Michael Rivard, 48, appeared before a judge in Quincy District Court Monday after the crash. He faces a number of charges in connection with the death of his wife of 31 years.

Neighbors described a chaotic scene in Wall Street in Quincy when a woman on the sidewalk with her adult son is struck and killed by the driver of a green Lincoln town car.

“It was more people trying to get focused to get the car off the lady. That was the first thing. The lady is under the car what do we need to do to get the car off the lady,” said a neighbor, Brandon Bergstrom, who used a jack to release the woman from the car.

The woman was pronounced dead at the hospital and her son was taken to the hospital.

Neighbors said the driver seemed confused.

“Confused. Dazed. You know, what happened? She can't be dead. ‘Somebody help us.’ You know those kind of things,” said neighbor John Galligan.

Quincy Police and troopers from the district attorney's office sealed off the scene for hours working to reconstruct the fatal crash while the driver was booked at police headquarters.

Neighbors said the whole thing is a tragedy.

“It is a tragedy like it is hard to see how a car can go 25 feet and take out a pole and two people. It’s just like, how does that happen in a matter of seconds?” said Bergstrom.

“It’s sad it had to happen, so close to the holidays and everything,” said Galligan.

The victim’s son remained in the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Michael Rivard is no stranger to Quincy police who arrested him just a few weeks ago and charged him with operating under the influence of drugs after crashing his car with his wife in the front seat.

Michael Rivard is being held without bail.