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Former Amityville Village Justice James Montgomery dies
Police said that the Montgomerys were in a 2004 Toyota heading north on Dixon Avenue in Copiague at approximately 4:45 p.m. As the younger Montgomery approached the intersection, he suffered a seizure and lost control of the vehicle. The car crashed into a concrete platform supporting a car vacuum at the Hess gasoline station on the southwest corner of Dixon Avenue and Sunrise Highway. Amityville Police and fire rescue volunteers rushed to the scene. The three victims were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital by North Lindenhurst Fire Rescue. James and Margaret Montgomery were pronounced dead at the hospital. The actual cause of their deaths is pending. Alexander Montgomery suffered multiple broken ribs and other internal injuries. He was admitted to the hospital for treatment. The Toyota was impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing. Judge Montgomery served as the Amityville Village Prosecutor from 1981 to 1985, having been appointed by former Mayor Victor Niemi. He was appointed Associate Justice under Justice Walter Saxton. Following Saxton's death, he was appointed Village Justice by Mayor Peter T. Imbert. A year later, he chose not to seek election to that position and Debra Di- Salvo was elected to replace him when he stepped down. "He had a strong and abiding commitment to the Village and was a tremendous asset to the Amityville," said Mayor Imbert. "We are all deeply saddened by his death and the death of his wife in this tragedy and wish for the speedy recover of his son." In addition to their son Alexander, the Montgomerys are survived by their daughter, Katherine M. Porter and her husband Frederick and by their grandchildren James J. and William N. Porter. Mrs. Montgomery is survived by her brother Donald O'rourke and her sister Mimi Spagnoli. She was predeceased by her brothers Gerald and John O'Rourke and her sister Honor Williams. Mr. Montgomery is survived by his sister Nina Dana. Judge Montgomery attended Harvard University. He interrupted his education to join the service during World War II. Upon his discharge, he returned to Harvard, graduating from Harvard Law School. "Jim exemplified Tom Brokaw's book, The Greatest Generation," said Village Justice Debra DiSalvo. "What stood out in my mind about him was that he was a man who truly cared about people." Following his graduation from Harvard, Judge Montgomery worked as a criminal defense attorney. "He could have written his ticket to any corporate law firm in the country after graduating from Harvard but chose, instead, to take a job that truly served people- many of whom could not afford an attorney," said DiSalvo who worked with Judge Montgomery for several years. "He was the most unselfish man I ever met."
Those who knew him described him as a well-read individual, a legal scholar who always maintained a sense of professionalism. "He was the most honest person I ever met," said Village Trustee Joe Slack. "His ethics were beyond reproach."
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