Bikers mourn 7 victims of New Hampshire crash

COLUMBIA, N.H. — A long-planned Blessing of the Bikes ceremony for motorcycle enthusiasts became a grief-filled memorial Sunday as hundreds converged to mourn seven bikers killed in a devastating crash with a pickup truck.

About 400 motorcyclists gathered Sunday in Columbia for the ceremony, which had special meaning for the motorcycle community in the wake of the crash that authorities say involved members of the Marine JarHeads, a motorcycle club that includes Marines and their spouses.

“When they fall, we all fall,” said Laura Cardinal, Vice President of the Manchester Motorcycle Club, adding that fellow bikers will support the families of those who died.

A pickup truck towing a flatbed trailer collided with the group of 10 motorcycles around 6:30 p.m. Friday on U.S. 2, a two-lane highway in the small town of Randolph.

The victims were identified as Michael Ferazzi, 62; Albert Mazza, 49; Daniel Pereira, 58; Joanne and Edward Corr, both 58; Desma Oakes, 42; and Aaron Perry, 45.

Investigators on Saturday identified the pickup driver as Volodoymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, an employee of Westfield Transport, a company in Springfield, Mass. Zhukovskyy survived the accident, did not need to be hospitalized and has not been charged, authorities said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is among the agencies investigating. Authorities asked for the public’s help in the form of videos, photos or other information about the accident or the vehicles involved.