Published in the July 13, 2018 edition

MELROSE — Brother Edward Bozzo, the 85-year-old who was out for his morning walk Monday when he was struck and dragged some distance down Herbert Street by a motorist who did not stop, is said to be recovering from his injuries following surgery at a Boston hospital.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Melrose Police had narrowed the scope of the investigation to a person of interest. The driver in this hit-and-run was said to be going the wrong way down the street.

According to The Pilot, the newspaper of the archdiocese of Boston, Brother Bozzo is a staff member at Malden Catholic High School and a resident of the Xaverian Brothers’ Melrose community.

BROTHER ED BOZZO
(Malden Catholic High School Photo)

“A Xaverian Brother for 60 years,” The Pilot writes, “Brother Bozzo came to Malden Catholic in 1986 as assistant to Headmaster Brother Robert Sullivan, CFX. He has also served as dean of records and director of admissions, and has taught classes in English, Spanish, Latin and Italian. His current official title is School Archivist, a part-time volunteer position that involves assembling and maintaining the school’s historical records.”

Brother Bozzo was said to walk often from Melrose to work at Malden Catholic High.

Chief Michael L. Lyle and the Melrose Police Department asked for the public’s help earlier this week after the accident.

On Monday Melrose Police and Fire responded at 5:45 a.m. to Herbert Street for a report of a person struck by a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, rescuers found an 85-year-old Melrose man — later identified by media outlets as Brother Bozzo — lying in the roadway. The victim was taken to a Boston hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.

An investigation indicated that the resident was out for a walk when he was struck from behind and dragged by a motor vehicle. The vehicle fled the scene.

Herbert Street is a narrow one-way side street that runs about 350 feet near St. Mary’s Parish between Berwick and Myrtle streets. The investigation indicates that the suspect vehicle was driving the wrong way down the street.

The suspect vehicle will have front end damage, likely on the passenger’s side. The vehicle was likely headed south on Berwick Street, toward West Wyoming Avenue, Main Street, or Grove Street.

Lyle was alerting area auto repair and auto body shops and asked members of the public to come forward if they saw anything in the area.

“This is a particularly heinous hit-and-run that left a resident with traumatic injuries that are life-threatening,” Lyle said. “The person who did this knows what they did. I encourage the driver to come forward, and anyone who might have seen or heard something between 5:30-5:45 (Monday) is urgently asked to call the Melrose Police Department.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Melrose Police Sgt. Jon Goc at 781-665-1212.

Current Malden Catholic Headmaster Thomas J. Doherty III said this week, “The Malden Catholic community was saddened to learn that Brother Ed Bozzo, CFX, was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. We are grateful to the Melrose Police Department and the community at large for their efforts to locate the driver. Right now we are focused on Brother Bozzo and are asking that everyone join us in praying for his full recovery.”