A routine walk during a powerful winter storm turned fatal Sunday afternoon in Norwood, Massachusetts, when a snowplow truck backing up in a crowded commuter parking lot struck a couple, killing Noriko Rapley, 51, and critically injuring her husband. The tragedy unfolded just after 2 p.m. at the MBTA Norwood Central parking lot, amid near-whiteout conditions caused by an intense blizzard.

Authorities say Rapley and her 47-year-old husband were walking together through the lot when a Ford F-350 pickup truck fitted with a plow, driven by a 33-year-old contractor hired for snow removal, reversed into them. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but Rapley was pronounced dead in the parking lot. Her husband was transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries that, while not believed to be life-threatening, required emergency care.

The plow driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and Transit Police are now examining how a standard snow-clearing operation became deadly. Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan described the incident as “unimaginable” and “horrific,” underscoring the devastating impact on the family and community.