North Providence woman struck, killed

Snowplow driver had a suspended driver’s license

A 71-year-old North Providence woman was killed Tuesday when a snowplow operator whose driver’s license was suspended backed over her as she was walking through the parking lot of her apartment complex, authorities said.

Maria Vega-Rivera was crossing the lot of the Maple Gardens complex at 25 McGuire Road around 1:10 p.m. when she was struck, North Providence Police Colonel Alfredo Ruggiero Jr. said.

“She was walking across the parking lot,” Ruggiero said Wednesday. “The plow [operator] put it in reverse. He did not see her and he struck her at a slow rate of speed. Sadly and unfortunately, he ran over her.”

Police received 911 calls reporting that a pedestrian had been struck in the parking lot, and emergency responders found Vega-Rivera suffering serious injuries when they reached the scene, police said.

Vega-Rivera was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Police identified the driver as Lloyd M. Card, 30, of North Providence. Card remained at the scene and voluntarily spoke with police at the station.

Card did not have a valid Rhode Island driver’s license and had been cited twice before for operating with a suspended license, according to Ruggiero and a court record.

Ruggiero said operating after suspension is not an arrestable offense in Rhode Island. Card is due in traffic court on Feb. 16 to face charges of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, a third offense, driving with an expired registration, and operating without evidence of insurance.

Card did not have a valid commercial driver’s license to operate the truck he was driving, which had a plow attached to the front and a sand-salt spreader at the rear, officials said. He previously had a valid commercial license but it was suspended, Ruggiero said.

The owner of the truck was listed in a summons as a Marblehead man with the last name of Card.

Ruggiero said police are seeking information from the managers of the apartment complex about how Card was hired and what documentation he provided about the truck and his right to drive. He also said they are reviewing security video.

The truck has been impounded and will be inspected by police, he said.

Ruggiero said Vega-Rivera’s daughter was notified about her mother’s death. He said a handful of relatives gathered at the police station Tuesday night waiting for information.

“They were obviously griefstricken,” he said.