Car Accidents

February 21, 2013

Plow Driver Rescues Danvers, MA Man in Fiery Crash

We previously blogged about a Danvers, MA man involved in a collision with a plow truck on Interstate 95 last Tuesday. Now, the plow truck driver has come forward to give his account of the accident.

Howie Lane of Essex, MA was parked in the breakdown lane before Exit 47, watching his co-worker move snow with a front-end loader. They were operating under a private contract for the state. Suddenly, 35-year-old Franco Carullo drove a 2008 Jeep Wrangler into Lane’s plow truck. “He went from 55 miles per hour, 60 miles per hour, to nothing,” Lane said. “We couldn’t understand how the guy hit us.”

Lane jumped out of his vehicle after the impact, slipped and fell to the ground, and then hurried over to the crashed Jeep with his co-worker. They saw Carullo inside, and it appeared he was unconscious. They tried to enter, but the doors were locked and they couldn’t open the windows.

Lane smashed the window with a hammer, which allowed them to open the door. They had difficulty freeing Carullo from the vehicle because the deployed airbag had pinned the seatbelt against him. While they were struggling to unbuckle Carullo’s seatbelt, flames began to engulf the vehicle. “I never felt so useless in my life,” Lane said. Lane said this experience convinced him of the importance of always carrying a knife.

Their persistence paid off when they finally unlatched Carullo’s seatbelt. “When that seat belt released, I felt like I hit Megabucks,” Lane said. Then the two dragged the unconscious Carullo, whose legs were broken and pants on fire, to a safe distance from the car, shortly before it burst into flames. “As we dragged him out, the car blew up,” Lane said.

“I was just relieved we got him out,” Lane said. “It turned out good, but I got to tell you, when it was all going down, it was bad. It was a bad deal.”

According to Lane, Carullo regained consciousness minutes later, asking “Is this my Jeep?” Carullo responded, “You can forget the Jeep. The Jeep is junk. It’s burned to a crisp.”

Carullo communicated that he might have fallen asleep while driving, Lane said.

Emergency responders arrived at the accident scene by 2:05 a.m. An ambulance brought him to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
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February 20, 2013

Mom and Son Killed in Tragic Fitchburg, MA Car Crash

by Altman & Altman

A head-on automobile crash left a mother and son dead and another man severely injured in Fitchburg Sunday morning. Michelle Martens, 36, and her son, Justin Fournier, 16, both residents of Ashby were killed in the 10:00 a.m. collision, officials said. Emergency responders brought Wayne F. Patenaude to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester with serious injuries, police said.

Martens and Fournier were traveling in a Kia Sportage that crossed over a marked lane on Route 31, hitting the Chevy Silverado Patenaude was driving, investigators said. Police are unsure who was driving the Kia at the time.

All three of the victims were connected to the fire department in Ashby, a small town in central Massachusetts. Ashby Fire Chief William Seymour Jr. said Martens was an EMT and third-generation firefighter, Fournier a participant in the department’s auxiliary program, and Patenaude a volunteer EMT with the department. “It still seems like it’s a nightmare,” Seymour said.

Peter McMurray, chairman of the Ashby Board of Selectmen, said of the deaths “it was a shock.” “We’re a small town, and everyone knew her through her father and grandfather. Everyone’s taking it pretty hard.” McMurray said he had worked alongside Martens many times.

The Ashby Fire Department held a meeting on Sunday morning to inform first responders of Martens’ death, McMurray said. “I think everybody will think about her for quite a while,” he said.

Perenaude suffered injuries to his head and right arm, and had a crushed right heel, Seymour said. He was expected to remain hospitalized overnight, according to the district attorney’s office.

Police said they are investigating if weather played a role in the accident. “The road was extremely slippery at that time this morning and it’s just too bad to start off a Sunday morning that way,” said fire deputy John Curran.
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February 14, 2013

Danvers, MA Man Hurt in Crash with Dump Truck

by Altman & Altman

A Danvers man was severely injured after crashing his vehicle into a state dump truck on Interstate 95. Franco Carullo, 35, was traveling in a northbound lane before 2:00 a.m. when he rear-ended a Massachusetts Department of Transportation dump truck, said state police spokesman Thomas Murphy. The dump truck was removing snow from the breakdown lane around Exit 47 at the time of the accident.

An unidentified “civilian witness” pulled Carullo from his 2008 Jeep Wrangler shortly before it burst into flames, Murphy said. Murphy was unable to confirm whether the witness was the driver of the dump truck or a passing motorist. By the time emergency responders arrived, the Jeep was “fully engulfed in flames,” he said.

Emergency responders transported Carullo by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, but a representative of the hospital said their directory didn’t have him listed as a patient. The dump truck driver did not sustain any reported injuries.

Officials briefly closed all lanes of I-95 while firefighters put out the blaze. Engine 3, Engine 7, and Car 2 responded to the accident and crews used 1,500 gallons of water to extinguish the fire, said Deputy Chief Richard Nelson. The Fire Department received a report of the crash at 1:53 a.m. and was at the scene by 2:05, he said.
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February 12, 2013

Father Comes to Massachusetts to Educate About Distracted Driving Accidents

by Altman & Altman

A Philadelphia lawyer brought his campaign against distracted driving to Massachusetts. Joel Feldman gave his presentation at the State House on Monday, one day after a bus full of students crashed into an overpass. Feldman believes that at least part of the cause of that accident was the driver being distracted with GPS.

One of the keys to reducing distracted driving accidents, according to Feldman, is to educate students. “I’m a firm believer that the kids are better listeners than the parents,” Feldman said. “We get emails from kids and parents and part of the program is the kids speak with their parents. I’m convinced the kids are going to change the driving culture.”

Feldman views distracted driving as a cultural problem. “It’s kind of in terms of the way I used a seat belt when I was growing up, because my parents never did,” he said. “Then 20 years ago people started to look at drunk driving in a different way. And now the kids of today will be the impetus on how we will look at distracted driving.”

Part of Feldman’s presentation involved a new video that discussed the perils of distracted driving. The video showed both the driver and survivors of an accident that took place in Massachusetts, and resulted in a fatality. “In this case, the driver contacted the family and said ‘I’m so sorry,'” Feldman said. “The family said she should do something about it, so we started using her to give presentations in high schools. It is so compelling that we wanted to do a video with her and the family said we want to tell our side as well.”

Feldman chose to premiere the video in Massachusetts since the people featured in it are from the state. The video is available here.

An accident that struck too close to home inspired Feldman to undertake his crusade against distracted driving. Feldman and his wife, Dianne Anderson, lost their 21-year-old daughter Casey when a distracted driver hit and killed her as she was walking to work in July of 2009 in Ocean City, N.J.

Cell phone use is just one aspect of distracted driving, Feldman emphasized. “Texting and cellphone use, that causes less than a third of distracted driving accidents,” Feldman said. “We still have two-thirds of the causes out there. There needs to be education and awareness.”

Feldman says he has given the presentation to 7,500 students since April. He plans on having others give the presentation too, hoping to reach about 200,000 students by June.
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February 11, 2013

Interstate 93 Rollover Leaves Groton, MA Woman Dead, Boy Critical

by Altman & Altman

An SUV rollover on Interstate 93 resulted in the death of a Groton woman and critical injury to a 7-year-old boy.

Nicola Deluca, 23, was transported to Lawrence General Hospital, where she was declared dead Thursday afternoon.

A helicopter brought the boy who was riding with her to Massachusetts General Hospital.

According to Methuen fire officials, he has life-threatening injuries. Police said he was in critical condition immediately after the accident.

Deluca was driving the blue 1998 Chevrolet Blazer with New Hampshire plates when it swerved in the left lane of Interstate 93 southbound between the Pelham Street and Lowell Street exits in Methuen, rolling over multiple times before coming to a halt with its roof pressed against the rail barrier on the median. The State Police collision team was reconstructing the crash to get a better understanding of how it occurred.

The relationship between Deluca and the boy is unclear. The Blazer was packed with clothes and cleaning supplies that spilled out onto the grass median.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, but it did tie up traffic northbound beginning near Interstate 495. Police closed all of I-93 south briefly to allow the helicopter to land and take the boy to Boston. Some southbound lanes were closed for more than an hour, backing up traffic through Salem, N.H.
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February 8, 2013

Family of Bicyclist Sues After No Criminal Charges Filed in Fatal Wellesley, MA Accident

by Altman & Altman

Officials decided not to file criminal charges against a truck driver who struck and killed a bicyclist, so now the deceased’s family is filing a lawsuit against the driver.

Alex Motsenigos, 41, was riding his bike on Weston Road on August 24 when an 18-wheel dump trailer him him. Emergency responders transported him to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. “Alex was a wonderful husband and father who will never be forgotten. The family misses Alex incredibly and wishes to continue to honor his memory by celebrating the wonderful gifts he brought to all their lives,” the family said in a statement.

The grand jury announced Monday that it wouldn’t bring charges against the truck driver, Dana McCoomb of East Wareham, triggering the victim’s family to file the lawsuit in Norfolk Superior Court against the driver and his employer. “If the truck driver had used even basic care in operating the truck hat struck Alex down, the accident would have been avoided and Alex would be alive today,” lawyers for the family said in a statement.

The lawsuit alleges McCoomb has a history of driving violations. “His driving record demonstrated numerous driving violations which should have put Mabardy and Truck Leasing on notice McCoomb was an extremely dangerous driver who should not have been behind the wheel of a truck,” the lawsuit reads.

Records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles show that since 1982, McCoomb has received 26 moving violations, 11 of which were for speeding and seven for surchargeable accidents. Two of them occurred in the 12 months leading up to the fatal collision in Wellesley.

The lawsuit also questions the condition of the truck itself, arguing that the horn wasn’t functioning correctly, based on information from the police investigation.

Investigators questioned McCoomb about the incident, his past driving record, and whether he intentionally hit Motsenigos. According to the police report, McCoomb told investigators that he was aware of the incident, but “I didn’t hit him. That’s for sure. I know damn well I didn’t.”

A lawyer for Mabardy said McCoomb was properly licensed.
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February 5, 2013

MA State Police: Drive Slowly to Avoid Car Accidents in Snow

by Altman & Altman

With winter not yet finished bringing more dangerous road conditions and car accidents to the area, Massachusetts State Police are advising people to drive slowly but not to panic. “Once again, Massachusetts is gearing up for another snow storm,” State Police said in a press release. “This can cause major delays in traffic, accidents and other headaches making the daily commute stressful.”

Police offered the following tips to help reduce the risk of car accidents:

1. Be patient. “It’s New England, and we’ve been here before,” officials stated. “Remember to be patient with those operators with less skill driving in these expected conditions.”

2. Slow down, so your vehicle will be less likely to slide when snow and freezing rain create slippery road conditions.

3. Leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicles around you.

4. Plan ahead for the possibility that your commute will take longer than usual.

5. Having an SUV or other four-wheel drive vehicle doesn’t amount to invincibility. “Please, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security,” officials wrote. “Your four-wheel drive vehicle does not ensure you have better stopping or steering capabilities.”

6. Clear snow and ice off your vehicle before hitting the road. “Heavy chunks of snow coming off of buses and trucks can cause heavy damage to other vehicles,” officials said. “Clearing off just enough snow to barely see out of a small cleared spot in your windshield doesn’t count.”

7. Be careful around plow trucks and sanders, giving them plenty of space in which to operate.

8. Don’t text while driving. It’s always illegal and dangerous, but it becomes even more hazardous when wintery weather is in effect.

9. Don’t rage at other drivers. “Road rage will not get to your destination any faster,” State Police advised. “Don’t engage other operators in aggressive driving. Please note your location and call 911 if you observe such behavior.”
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February 1, 2013

Driver Hits and Kills Elderly Pedestrian in Peabody, MA

by Altman & Altman

An elderly man was hit and killed as he walked across Lowell Street in Peabody after leaving St. Adelaide Church on Sunday. Theodore Buttner, 87, of Somerville was in town visiting family. “He was coming to visit us,” said Patricia Caton, his daughter. “He thought we were at the church, but we weren’t there. He was on his way to our house.”

The driver, Richard Franco, 84, of Peabody struck Buttner at around 1:00 p.m. with his 2004 Buick LeSabre, Police said. Buttner died later that night at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Officials have not cited or charged Franco, and are still investigating the incident, said Peabody police Detective Michael Crane. A state police accident reconstruction team is helping to investigate. Officials will not release any additional details about the crash until the investigation is complete, Crane said.

Buttner, who went by the nickname Ted, regularly attended St. Adelaide’s when visiting family, even though he was from out of town. Caton learned her father was at church only after she received a phone call from Peabody police informing her that a car had hit him. “It was devastating,” Caton said.

Butter served in the Navy in World War II, stationed at Pearl Harbor. After that, he worked for the MBTA for 35 years. He was married to his late wife, Theresa, for 57 year. He had five children, seven grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. “He loved to get together with us as a family,” Caton said. “He enjoyed the holidays and cookouts.” He was a devout Catholic, and met Cardinal Sean O’Malley when he visited St. Adelaide last year, said Canton.

A nurse and many others came to Buttner’s assistance on the day of the accident. “He was never alone; they stayed with him,” she said. “It means a lot to my family that he was not alone when that tragedy occurred.”
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January 29, 2013

Two Women Injured in Head-On Crash in Franklin, MA

by Altman & Altman

Two women drivers were hurt in a head-on collision in Franklin, MA, police said. A Toyota Solara heading northbound on Route 140 near Franklin Village Shopping Center crossed over the median, knocked over multiple road signs, and then slammed front-first into a Saturn Ion traveling in the southbound lane, police said. Dispatchers received numerous 911 calls at 8:33 pm reporting the two-vehicle accident, according to the Franklin police log.

Firefighters who arrived at the accident scene used hydraulic rescue tools to free the 47-year-old Bellingham woman from the Toyota. A medical rescue helicopter brought her to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, said Franklin Fire Chief Gary McCarraher. “She had an underlying medical (condition), which we think may have had something to do with the cause (of the accident), but it’s still under investigation,” McCarraher said. He added that her injuries were “severe.”

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash, a Saturn Ion, was able to climb out of her car without help. An ambulance brought her to Milford Regional Medical Center, and she has since been released, said McCarraher. “She was really lucky. She was walking around on scene for a little bit before we arrived,” McCarraher said. “We had her sit down, and she complained of some injuries.”

Officials closed the southbound lane of Route 140, where the accident occurred, while police and firefighters removed car fluid and debris from the roadway and Franklin Police Officer Richard Grover performed accident reconstruction. A tow truck removed both vehicles.
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January 25, 2013

Most Dangerous Intersection in MA Pioneer Valley Gets Improvements

by Altman & Altman

The most dangerous intersection in Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley is about to get safer.

Planned improvements to the intersection of Boston Road and Parker Street in Springfield include advanced signage to help drivers plan where they’re going in the intersection, increasing the size and brightness of traffic signals, enhancing nighttime lighting, and most significantly: consolidating commercial driveways near the intersection to improve traffic flow, said Allan Chwalek, Springfield’s public works superintendent.

These changes are due in part to a recent report from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission that examined 100 high-crash intersections in the region, and found Boston Road-Parker Street to be the most dangerous.

Longtime Springfield resident Jennifer Smith, who was running an errand at the Walgreens located at the intersection’s northeast corner, said she was so frustrated with traffic on this busy roadway that she decided to move to Wilbraham, “That way, I never have to drive on Parker Street again.”

Even with the scheduled improvements, however, the intersection will probably remain in the list of top 10 most dangerous intersections due to the high volume of traffic that flows through it, said Chwalek. “It’s just an incredibly busy intersection,” he said. “There is not a tremendous amount of changes that can be done. I would be surprised if it ever fell out of the top 10.” Approximately 50,000 vehicles a day – totaling 16 to 17 million a year – travel through the Boston Road – Parker Street intersection, earning it the distinction of busiest crossroads in Western Mass, said Chwalek.

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission conducts traffic studies every other year, but this was the first time comprehensive data for Springfield and the Boston Road – Parker Street intersection was included, said executive director Timothy Brennan. The studies have found that almost half of the Pioneer Valley’s high-crash intersections are located in Springfield. “It was definitely the ‘aha’ moment'” (pertaining to the study), said Brennan.

One positive takeaway from these statistics is that the high number of accidents in Springfield will help attract state and federal funds to make the city’s roads safer. “More and more at the federal and state level, safety has become a key criteria in how federal and state dollars are spent,” Brennan said.
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