Iozzo was with family when moped crash happened

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The moped accident scene on August 28. — Rich Saltzberg

A 20-year-old West Brookfield woman was with her parents, who were also on a moped, at the time the moped she was on crashed into an oncoming car, according to a Chilmark Police report.

On August 28, Hannah Iozzo was in a group of three mopeds on South Road in Chilmark when the moped she was a passenger on collided with an oncoming Lexus and threw her to her death. Iozzo was doubled up with Jack Galuska on a 2018 Venture moped. Galuska was the driver. Iozzo’s mother and stepfather were doubled up on another moped, and Iozzo’s uncle was solo an a third moped.

Hannah Iozzo was “catapulted” from the Venture moped she was riding on with Jack Galuska, according to a witness statement. Iozzo hit the road, where she lost her helmet before landing on the road shoulder along with the moped. 

The witness described Iozzo’s condition in harrowing terms. The witness also said Galuska landed in the road in front of his vehicle. Galuska was described as having serious leg and arm injuries and was “screaming” Iozzo’s name. When police arrived, Galuska was allegedly overheard yelling “the [expletive] moped wouldn’t turn.” A post-accident inspection by Binks Auto Repair in Oak Bluffs didn’t find anything amiss with the steering components of the moped. 

Police found Iozzo’s mother, Heidi Murray and stepfather, Adam Murray, “distraught” on the roadside. Daniel Devaney, the operator of the Lexus, told police he was traveling at a slow speed when the moped veered into the path of his vehicle. No citations were issued following the crash.

Iozzo’s uncle, Francis Murray, told police he was ahead of the other two mopeds and didn’t witness the collision. State Police reconstructed the collision the next day, following a preliminary analysis by Chilmark Police and State Trooper Robert Branca. Galuska’s license was suspended “pending a hearing” after the collision, though he hasn’t been charged with anything. Chilmark Police Sgt. Sean Slavin said the suspension was handed down from the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which is a component of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Answers to an inquiry placed with MassDOT about the suspension process were not immediately provided. Sgt. Slavin told The Times he expects the State Police to issue a report in about two months. 

The crash renewed calls for a moped rental ban on the Island. The Times learned shortly after the crash that a home-rule petition sought by Oak Bluffs had lapsed on Beacon Hill. This week, Oak Bluffs select board said they will bring the issue back before voters at town meeting and ultimately back to the State House, to seek a ban on renting mopeds in that town.

According to her obituary, Iozzo was vacationing on the Vineyard when the accident happened. Iozzo is survived by her mother and her stepfather. Iozzo graduated from Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in 2019. She was a third-year electrical apprentice with Local Union 96. She enjoyed “cheerleading, running, track, giraffes, and the color purple,” her obituary states.

“She was kind of the dream athlete you would want to have on your team,” Bonnie Mahan, Iozzo’s varsity cheerleading coach, told The Times. “She was very athletic and very talented, and she had a work ethic like no other. Probably the best attitude I have ever seen in my years of coaching. She was very soft-spoken, and never gave me a problem ever. A leader to those around her — she was very caring. I can’t even say enough positive words about her. As far as the kind of person she was, she was so genuine and kind.”

 

Lucas Thors contributed to this report.

16 COMMENTS

  1. May I say to the Iozzo and Galuska families, my sincere condolences for the loss of Hannah.
    I believe the legacy of her passing will be the initiation of some positive change for future visitors to Martha’s Vineyard.

  2. Hess, why don’t you take your disrespect elsewhere and show some compassion towards this tragic event?
    Try it some time. It won’t hurt you and may just improve your life.

      • It is dangerous for people to jump to conclusions.
        Particularly as they age.
        At my advanced years I am very carful.

    • Thank you, James. I don’t know when it became acceptable to leave sarcastic comments about loss and pain, but it’s tired and unnecessary.

    • My disrespect was not aimed at victims of this horrible accident.
      It was aimed the ghouls demanding their names, perhaps for commercial purposes.
      You know just who I am talking about, HJG!

      • Albert, I apologize if I misunderstood your intentions. Sometimes it’s hard to know where people are coming from here.

        • The comments on comment boards usually lack depth.
          Sarcasm does not translate well from verbal to written.
          I have the sarcasm gene.

          One’s interpretation of what someone has to say should not depend on where they are coming from.
          Focus on what say not on where they are coming from.
          The complexities of humans and their agendas/narratives.

          Personally. I don’t think the name of the injured should ever be released. The dead, after they are buried. Charged with a crime, immediately.

  3. Thank you, Katie Lane.
    Many years ago, I was a direct witness to an instantly fatal pedestrian/automobile collision. In fact I narrowly avoided being struck by that deceased victim.
    In my whole life, I don’t ever expect to forget that day, or it’s complete senselessness.
    The family of that victim, certainly haven’t forgotten that day either.
    Bringing this to South Road on that tragic day, we owe both of those families some reassurance we never permit this to happen again

    • James, no one could ever forget that and I’m so sorry you had to experience it. I respect that you advocate to keep people safe on the roads and are so informative. Not everyone realizes why mopeds are dangerous. We need more of that around here. I agree, never again. This has gone on for far too long.

  4. Hess. Most people here don’t agree with me often. But you always make snarky sarcastic non serious non sequin or comments flippantly. You are not a serious person.

    • Andy– nice snarky, sarcastic ,non serious, non sequin, flippant comment.

      And you should never say “always” or “never”.. It just NEVER turns out to be true, meaning it is ALWAYS a lie.

    • Enge, I feel awful that a man of your caliber finds my comments lacking.
      Snark and sarcasm can be very effective communication tools.
      Have you ever studied them?
      They are the root comedic communication.
      I do not know what a non sequin is, do I use it too often?
      Mankind is illogical.

      I am going to guess you are not a fan of the Shouts and Murmurs column in the New Yorker.
      Or any late night news comedians, even on FOX.
      How much do you hate John Oliver?
      I am a very serious person, as serious as John Oliver.
      I was very serious about calling out the ghoul demanding the names of the moped accident dead before their bodies reached ambient.

      “Most people here don’t agree with me often”: Do you come here seeking adulation?
      It’s not working.
      From an anecdotal survey I find that that the positive responses to my comments to be at least twice yours.
      What should I change to get to your numbers?

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