A 23-year-old Springfield police cadet was killed in a single-car crash on Thanksgiving after he lost control of his car and hit a fire hydrant, police said.
Max Moran, the son of a 30-year veteran of the force, had a bright future in the department, according to police.
"He was an intelligent, smart kid and he will be missed," said Springfield Police Sergeant John Delaney.
Moran's father, Rick, is a sergeant in the department.
Max Moran was off-duty when he was driving on Parker Street near Ellendale Circle in a 2006 Mini Cooper around 4 a.m. Thursday. At a bend in the road, he lost control and crashed into the fire hydrant, Delaney said. The car flipped in the air, and Moran was ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Delaney said.
Advertisement
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, he said.
Moran was enrolled at Springfield Technical Community College, taking criminal justice courses, said Delaney. He was working toward an associate's degree, a requirement to become a police officer, while working five days a week at the department in various administrative capacities.
Moran was seven months into the cadet program, which usually takes three years, said Officer Charles Youmans, who recruited him.
"Once we told him what it would take to be a cadet, he was resourceful, and he was determined to become an officer," Youmans said. "He was an outstanding young man."
Jasper Craven can be reached at jasper.craven@globe.com.