Hopkinton police say they have arrested the fatal driver 100 times

A driver arrested more than 100 times after hitting and killing a man walking his dog in Hopkinton early Saturday morning, Dec. 6, faces additional criminal charges, according to the Hopkinton Police Department.

The victim, identified as Roderick McLeod, 70, of 12B Pleasant Street, Richmond, was a talented bass player who was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, according to a Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Facebook post.

At approximately 7:21 p.m., Hopkinton Police responded to a one-car accident near 42 Spring Street (Route 138), Hope Valley, according to a press release issued by Hopkinton Police Chief Mark J. Carrier. When officers arrived, they discovered that a pedestrian walking his dog, later identified as McLeod, had been hit.

Police believe the SUV driven by Shannon N. Godbout, 41, of 332 Cannonchette Road, Apt. 203, Hopkinton was eastbound on Spring Street when he left his lane and struck several objects, including two telephone poles and McLeod, who was walking his dog on the shoulder of the eastbound lane, police said.

McLeod was taken to Rhode Island Hospital by Hope Valley Ambulance, but “died from his injuries,” police said.

At the scene of the crash, officers discovered Godbout was in possession of “numerous illegal narcotics and packaging materials commonly associated with drug distribution,” police said. The police said that he was arrested and taken to Western hospital for medical examination.

Godbout is facing “preliminary charges”: driving to endanger, resulting in death; Possession of narcotics, with intent to distribute, schedule I/II, 3rd-plus felony, police said.

Hopkinton police are still investigating with the assistance of the Rhode Island State Police Accident Reconstruction Team, and additional charges may be filed, Hopkinton police said.

Shannon Ann Godbout is scheduled to appear before a Justice of the Peace and arraigned in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office as a felony violator for past charges for which she is currently on a suspended sentence, police said.

His criminal history includes more than 100 arrests, eight of them from the Hopkinton Police Department, police said. Godbout received 40 traffic citations, seven of which were issued by Hopkinton police, police said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr McLeod’s family during this difficult time following this tragic incident,” police said.

The Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame published a Facebook post, announcing McLeod’s death “with great sadness.” MacLeod was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Roomful of Blues.

“In addition to his time as bassist with Roomful, Rory enjoyed a career spanning more than fifty years in a wide variety of settings, including his work as the original bassist for Duke Robillard’s (Class of 2014) first solo outing; extensive recording credits with Paul Jeremiah (Rory as a member of Robillard and Robillard’s Class of 2013), and many others,” the post said.

According to the Hall of Fame, McLeod also released a single in 1993 and an album in 1995. He taught guitar, banjo and upright bass.

“In recent years, McLeod became a guiding light in the roots music community as an artist and teacher, serving as his wife and musical partner, fiddler Sandol Ostrowski, as a teaching assistant at Brown University and director of the old-time string band,” the post said.

This article originally appeared in the Providence Journal: Driver in Hopkinton fatality was arrested 100 times, police say