Remembering Chicopee crash victim: ‘How could he be taken away?’

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Western Mass News has learned more regarding the pedestrian-involved crash that took place Saturday night on Springfield Street in Chicopee.

The victim, Nickolas Weichel of Chicopee, died on scene. The driver accused of hitting him faced a judge Tuesday.

Weichel was crossing the street Saturday night when he was hit and killed. His former boss said that the world is going to be a lot different without him.

“You want answers, you want an explanation,” Carl Scheinost said. “There isn’t one.”

Scheinost used to be the superintendent for the company Nickolas Weichel worked for.

“He quickly established himself as a go-to guy,” he told us. “If I asked him to do something, he would do it.”

On Sunday morning, he woke up to learn the news of his friend’s death.

“I was in denial,” Scheinost said. “I couldn’t believe Nick was gone, of all people. The guy who was so high on life, all the time, how could he be taken away?”

34-year-old Weichel was crossing Springfield Street Saturday night outside Rumbleseat Bar & Grille in Chicopee.

Investigators said that he was hit and killed by a driver, 22-year-old Nazier Grandison, who was traveling in the wrong lane, speeding above 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Now, his friends and family are forced to hold on to his memory.

“He was so much fun at work,” said Scheinost. “Everybody loved to work with him. Everybody wanted to be his partner at work because he made it fun.”

Scheinost told Western Mass News that Weichel was a man who absolutely loved life, made everyone laugh, and didn’t know a stranger.

“Nick was the kind of guy who worked to live. His life after work was the most important thing to him,” he added.

Most of all, Scheinost said that his friend did not deserve to die so young, as he had so many years ahead of him to bring joy to those who knew him. However, he said that he will continue to remember the biggest lesson he learned from Nick.

“What are we working for? You’re working for a better life. Live your life. It can be over quick, as we all learned the hard way,” Scheinost said.

The man arrested for hitting and killing Weichel was in court Tuesday morning. His bail was set at $10,000.

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