Norwood woman struck and killed by snowplow at MBTA commuter rail lot

Norwood woman struck and killed by snowplow at MBTA commuter rail lot

Bob Ward

Mon, January 26, 2026 at 9:13 PM UTC

2 min read

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.

On Monday, MBTA Transit police were still in the Norwood Central Commuter rail lot, one day after a horrific snowplow accident killed a 51-year-old Norwood woman, just as a powerful weekend snowstorm struck Massachusetts.

On Lenox Street, a man who only wanted to be identified as Mike told Boston 25 News reporter Bob Ward that he saw police lights across the street and only realized later what happened.

“I’m just shocked this happened right here in my front yard, literally,” he said.

MBTA Transit Police have identified the victim as 51-year-old Noriko Rapley of Norwood.

MBTA identifies woman struck, killed by plow while walking with husband in commuter rail parking lot

Her husband, 47-year-old Joseph Rapley, was also struck while the couple was walking together through the parking lot.

He was released from a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Bob Ward spoke to him at his Norwood home, but he did not want to be interviewed.

“Thoughts and prayers to the husband. I can’t imagine having to go through that. Heartbreaking,” John Reetz of Norwood said.

Transit police say the couple was struck at about 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, when the snowplow driver, an independent contractor operating a Ford 350 truck, backed into them while trying to clear the parking lot.

Authorities say the driver stayed on scene and was cooperating with detectives.

Neighbors told Ward that at the time of the fatal crash, heavy snow was already falling.

“It probably was hard to see, it really was, it was coming down a lot,” Judy Thibeau said.

There are no charges in the case.

Authorities have not identified the snowplow driver, only saying that he is 33 years old and that he is cooperating with the investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

About Our Ads

Source