A Grammy-nominated Rhode Island musician was killed over the weekend after being struck by a vehicle whose driver has a long history of arrests and warrants, according to authorities.
Roderick MacLeod, 70, died on Dec. 6 after a vehicle left its lane in Hope Valley and hit him as he walked his dogs along the shoulder, the Hopkinton Police Department said in a press release.
Officers were called to the scene at about 7:21 a.m. for what was initially reported as a single-vehicle crash, but they soon discovered that a pedestrian had been struck.
Police identified the driver suspect as 41-year-old Shannon N. Godbout of Hopkinton. Investigators believe Godbout was traveling eastbound when she veered from her lane, hit multiple objects, including two telephone poles, and then collided with MacLeod. He was taken by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital, where he later died.
At the scene, officers reported finding Godbout in possession of “numerous illegal narcotics and packaging materials commonly associated with drug distribution.” She was arrested before being transported to Westerly Hospital for medical evaluation and remains in police custody, according to an updated statement issued Monday by Chief Mark J. Carrier.
“The Hopkinton Police Department is collaborating closely with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office to present her in court as a probation violator,” Carrier said. He added that prosecutors will review all available evidence to determine the formal charges to be filed at arraignment. Godbout currently faces preliminary counts of driving so as to endanger, resulting in death, and possession of Schedule I/II narcotics with intent to distribute.
Police said Godbout’s criminal history includes more than 100 arrests, 82 court warrants, and 40 prior traffic citations.
Friends and colleagues of MacLeod, a highly regarded bassist, remembered him as a generous collaborator and a fixture of Rhode Island’s music community.
“He was just always upbeat and cheerful,” longtime friend and fellow musician Doug James told WJAR. “He was a good addition to anything he did. Few people play that well on everything, and he did.”
MacLeod earned a Grammy nomination in the 1980s for his work with the acclaimed jump-blues band Roomful of Blues and was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012. In addition to performing, he served as a teaching associate at Brown University and co-directed the school’s Old-Time String Band.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. MacLeod’s family during this difficult time following this tragic incident,” Hopkinton police said.
