Route 1 crash kills Peabody teen

PEABODY – An early morning crash on Route 1 south Tuesday claimed the life of a Peabody teen on his way home from Fourth of July festivities.Ryan Gillespie, 18, of 107 Bartholomew St., had spent the evening out with friends, according to his uncle, Steven Gillespie, when he was dropped off at his car and continued the ride home alone.A press release issued by the State Police said Ryan Gillespie was traveling in the right lane of Route 1 south in his 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer in Peabody around 12:44 a.m., when he swerved off the road to the right, crossed a rumble strip at a ramp from Route 128, rolled over, and came to a stop on the right side of Route 1.Gillespie was ejected in the crash and police say he was found dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation indicates that he was not wearing a seat belt.”He was a loving, bright, happy young kid,” Steven Gillespie said. “He was loved by everybody and will surely be missed by all.”Family members gathered together at the Gillespie home Tuesday afternoon, where Ryan’s parents, friends and immediate family declined to comment on their loss.A 2011 graduate of Peabody High School, Gillespie was in the process of pursuing a higher education, most likely in the high-tech industry, according to family.”He wasn’t enlisted anywhere yet but was looking at Salem State College,” his uncle said.An avid baseball and hockey player, his uncle said Gillespie could often be found riding dirt bikes and snowboarding with friends.Police say a portion of Route 1 south in the area of the crash scene, as well as the ramp from Route 128 south to Route 1 south, was closed for approximately two hours for the investigation.