‘Represents the very best in all of us’: Weymouth bridge dedicated to fallen officer Chesna

A bridge spanning a major Weymouth highway will bear the name of an officer that died in the line of duty just over four years ago.

Governor Charlie Baker, MassDOT and Weymouth town officials were among those on hand for the official dedication of The Sergeant Michael C. Chesna First Responders Bridge on Saturday. The bridge, which carries Route 18 over the MBTA Old Colony Railroad, was recently completed as part of a $78 million reconstruction project.

Chesna was shot and killed in July of 2018 after investigating a report of an erratic driver and car crash. After arriving at the scene, the suspect grabbed Chesna’s gun and repeatedly shot him with it. A 77-year-old woman that lived nearby was also killed during the incident.

“The profound randomness of the loss of Sergeant Chesna is what will always stick with me. More than anything it speaks to the complete unpredictable nature of the work that men and women in law enforcement do,” said Baker in a short speech. “And I think it’s important for all of us, when we have the opportunity, to send a message as a commonwealth as well as a community about naming rights. To name these structures after people whose life experience and whose service and whose circumstances you never want anyone to forget.

“And to all of the folks in Weymouth, I just want to say how grateful we are that you made the decision to never forget and to honor someone like Sergeant Chesna, who stands for and represents, whose military services and whose service to this community represents the very best in all of us.

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