A well-loved Rhode Island musician was killed during a simple dog walk, hit by a driver with a jaw-dropping record of more than 100 arrests.
The deadly crash unfolded in Hopkinton just after 7:20 a.m. on Saturday, when Shannon Godbout allegedly drifted out of her lane, plowing through several obstacles — including two telephone poles — before striking 70-year-old Roderick MacLeod as he walked his dog along the roadside, according to Hopkinton police.
MacLeod — a Grammy-nominated bassist and proud member of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame — was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, but doctors could only pronounce him dead shortly after his arrival.
Roderick MacLeod lost his life on Saturday in Rhode Island, struck down while simply taking his dog out for a walk. Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame
MacLeod’s dog survived the crash and managed to sprint back home, police said.
Godbout, 41, was discovered at the scene with a stash of illegal drugs and the kind of packaging materials often linked to street-level dealing.
She was taken into custody and charged with reckless driving that resulted in a death, along with possession of Schedule I/II narcotics with intent to distribute — her third offense and counting.
The department revealed that Godbout has a long criminal record, with more than 100 arrests to his name.
She has racked up 82 court warrants and been hit with 40 traffic citations over the years.
Police said Godbout was scheduled to appear before a justice of the peace and will be referred to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office as a criminal violator.
Shannon Godbout, 41, was discovered at the scene with a stash of illegal drugs and packaging materials typically linked to drug distribution. Hopkinton Police Department
Miraculously, MacLeod’s dog survived the crash and made its way home. Hopkinton Police Department
A Grammy-nominated bassist and Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame inductee, MacLeod made his mark with Roomful of Blues in the 1980s and was honored by the Hall of Fame in 2012 — a towering legacy cut tragically short.
The celebrated musician, who had been shaping young talent as a teaching associate at Brown University and directing the school’s Old-Time String Band, had his life and legacy tragically cut short.
MacLeod had dedicated 51 years to serving as a volunteer with the New Hackensack Fire Department — a lifetime of commitment tragically ended far too soon, according to his online obituary.
MacLeod (right), a Grammy-nominated bassist and celebrated member of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, left a towering musical legacy that was cut tragically short. United Theatre
He was serving as chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners for the New Hackensack Fire District — a role he held with dedication up until his sudden death.
Doug James, one of MacLeod’s oldest friends and fellow musicians, told WJAR he’ll never forget MacLeod’s endlessly 'upbeat and cheerful' spirit — a light extinguished far too soon.
“He was a good addition to anything he did. Few people play that well on everything, and he did,” James said.
“He really worked hard at all the stuff he did, but it never looked like that, it always just came very easily — it appeared to come easily.”
“He was always great to be around and he was always great to play with. A hundred percent of the people that know him would say exactly the same thing.”
MacLeod is survived by his wife of nearly 47 years, Karen; his daughter, Kate (Manny) Valdivia; and his grandchildren, Mance, Roddy, Ruthanne, and Megan — a loving family left to mourn a life and legacy cut tragically short.
