2008 Woodie Awards
AC Loses Hard-Working Pair To Fatal Car Crash
Alexis Kourkoulis
Issue date: 4/10/03 Section: Lead Stories
- Page 1 of 1
The Assumption College community mourned the loss of two custodial workers last month. Miguel Flores, 49, and his wife, Dora Aquino Flores, 39, were killed in a car accident on Saturday, March 22nd.
"They were hard-working, honest and dedicated employees for the college. They will both be missed," said Custodial Manager Roger LeBlanc.
Calling hours were held at the Callahan Brothers Funeral Home on Thursday, March 27th and a funeral mass was held the following day at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Worcester.
According to an article in the March 28th edition of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Mr. and Mrs. Flores were driving toward their home that afternoon when a speeding black Suburban crashed into their Toyota Camry.
The Suburban, which was allegedly stolen from Diamond Chevrolet, struck the Flores' vehicle at Dorchester and Providence Streets in Worcester at 1:30 p.m. The speeding SUV pushed their car 100 feet down the street.
Mr. Flores was pronounced dead at the scene and Mrs. Flores died the next day in St. Vincent's Hospital at Worcester Medical Center. Mrs. Flores' father, Samuel Aquino, was in the backseat of the car at the time of the accident. He was sent to UMass Memorial Medical Center with critical injuries but has since recovered.
The man driving the Suburban, Norman Hebert Jr., 54, was charged with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of drugs, and also several traffic violations. He is being held on $100,000 cash bail.
Kyle K. Lahair, 43, was a passenger in the Suburban that struck and killed the couple. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic needle and is being held on $10,000 cash bail.
The two men were arraigned from their hospital beds at UMass Memorial Medical Center on Tuesday, March 25th where they were under close police watch. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case was continued on April 7th.
Mr. and Mrs. Flores worked for Assumption College Building & Grounds, doing custodial work for just over eight years. Mr. Flores primarily worked in Founders Hall and Mrs. Flores in the Kennedy Building, keeping our classrooms and offices clean. They both worked the third shift Sunday through Thursday and always spent their time off together, according to family.
They came to the United States in the early 1980's from Nejapa, El Salvador. They lived on 3 Acton Street in Worcester, a city in which approximately 2,000 Salvadoran families have made their home, according to the Worcester T&G. The good-hearted couple recently brought a friend to the States from El Salvador and let her live in their home.
Sister Cathleen Toomey, the Director of Campus Ministry, did not know Mr. & Mrs. Flores personally, but spent a few hours with some of their fellow employees of Buildings & Grounds shortly after their death.
"It was clear from meeting with [their colleagues] that these people were special. They were caring and loving," she said.
"They were hard-working, honest and dedicated employees for the college. They will both be missed," said Custodial Manager Roger LeBlanc.
Calling hours were held at the Callahan Brothers Funeral Home on Thursday, March 27th and a funeral mass was held the following day at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Worcester.
According to an article in the March 28th edition of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Mr. and Mrs. Flores were driving toward their home that afternoon when a speeding black Suburban crashed into their Toyota Camry.
The Suburban, which was allegedly stolen from Diamond Chevrolet, struck the Flores' vehicle at Dorchester and Providence Streets in Worcester at 1:30 p.m. The speeding SUV pushed their car 100 feet down the street.
Mr. Flores was pronounced dead at the scene and Mrs. Flores died the next day in St. Vincent's Hospital at Worcester Medical Center. Mrs. Flores' father, Samuel Aquino, was in the backseat of the car at the time of the accident. He was sent to UMass Memorial Medical Center with critical injuries but has since recovered.
The man driving the Suburban, Norman Hebert Jr., 54, was charged with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of drugs, and also several traffic violations. He is being held on $100,000 cash bail.
Kyle K. Lahair, 43, was a passenger in the Suburban that struck and killed the couple. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic needle and is being held on $10,000 cash bail.
The two men were arraigned from their hospital beds at UMass Memorial Medical Center on Tuesday, March 25th where they were under close police watch. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case was continued on April 7th.
Mr. and Mrs. Flores worked for Assumption College Building & Grounds, doing custodial work for just over eight years. Mr. Flores primarily worked in Founders Hall and Mrs. Flores in the Kennedy Building, keeping our classrooms and offices clean. They both worked the third shift Sunday through Thursday and always spent their time off together, according to family.
They came to the United States in the early 1980's from Nejapa, El Salvador. They lived on 3 Acton Street in Worcester, a city in which approximately 2,000 Salvadoran families have made their home, according to the Worcester T&G. The good-hearted couple recently brought a friend to the States from El Salvador and let her live in their home.
Sister Cathleen Toomey, the Director of Campus Ministry, did not know Mr. & Mrs. Flores personally, but spent a few hours with some of their fellow employees of Buildings & Grounds shortly after their death.
"It was clear from meeting with [their colleagues] that these people were special. They were caring and loving," she said.