A Bristol, Conn. man killed in a moped crash early Saturday morning was an uncle of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, according to the man’s brother.
Robert J. Valentine, 49, died in a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Central Street and Church Avenue in Bristol around 1 a.m. Saturday, Bristol police said.
While driving a 2012 Sunny moped north on Central Street, Valentine “struck the curb along the right side of the roadway,†and “was thrown from the moped and landed in a private driveway where he struck a curb,†police said in a statement.
Valentine was treated by firefighters for a life-threatening head injury before he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A LifeStar critical care helicopter landed at the scene, but did not transport Valentine.
He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said.
Robert Valentine was a brother of Terri Hernandez, Aaron Hernandez’s mother, according to his brother, Patrick.
“We saw Aaron on occasion,†Patrick Valentine said. “We didn’t see him all too often though, mainly just on holidays.â€
Patrick Valentine said his brother enjoyed taking his three daughters, the oldest of whom was 13, out to eat or swimming at a local pool.
“He went out with his girls all the time. He was a great father to them,†Patrick said. “He was a hard-working person who mostly kept to himself.â€
Patrick Valentine said his brother worked at a machine shop in Bristol and enjoyed watching sports and riding his bike or moped all over town.
Hernandez is accused of orchestrating the murder of Odin L. Lloyd, a 27-year-old Dorchester man who was shot to death in a North Attleborough industrial park June 17. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder and is being held without bail.
Colin A. Young can be reached at colin.young@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ColinAYoung.
