Articles Posted in Car Accidents

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Charges are pending for 29-year-old Timothy Tatro from Pittsfield as an investigation is underway as to why he drove his van off of the road and crashed into a house on Route 7 in Williamstown. Tatro´s vehicle drove approximately 178 feet off of the road at a large curve, onto the front lawn, and into the house´s front bedroom. The crash then quickly ignited a fire in the house and Tatro was rescued before he was harmed by the fire.

The two residents of the house were home but out of harm´s way in the living room. Authorities explained that everyone involved is very fortunate, given the severity of this situation. Williamston Police Chief Kyle Johnson confirmed “There were two people in the home. I’m told they were both away in the living room when the car hit, and I think it jolted one of them out of their seat.”

Donna Sampson, a neighbor who witnessed the house catching on fire explained that the house was quickly engulfed in flames after the car hit the house. She said that the accidents on this road are usually coming from the opposite direction of the curve, whereas this vehicle was heading southbound.

Although the cause of this crash is still under investigation, given the circumstances, distracted driving could have played a role in this one-car accident. Distraction.gov, the Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving, reports that in 2009, approximately 448,000 were injured in car accidents due to distracted driving, meaning that 20% of all injury crashes involved distracted driving.

Distractions that can inhibit driver ability are:

• Talking on a cell phone (even if it is hands-free)
• Texting • Eating or drinking • Talking with passengers • Grooming • Reading (including maps)
• Using a PDA or navigation system • Watching a video • Changing the music or radio station

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident or your personal property has been damaged due to a car accident, it is in your best interest to contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Car crashes into home, bursts into flames, WNYT/CNN, May 18, 2011

Statistics and Facts About Distracted Driving, Distraction.gov Continue reading

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A woman has been charged with drunk driving after causing a fatal accident in Burlington on Saturday night. Nicole Parziale, 39, from Amesbury, was driving on Interstate 95 around 10:30 p.m. when she quickly turned left and crossed the middle lane into oncoming traffic. State Police report that Parziale´s Pontiac Grand Am hit the rear side Kayla E. Trenholm´s 1998 Buick sedan. The Buick came to rest in the third lane of traffic and the Grand Am came to rest on the left lane´s guard rail.

Trenholm, 20, from Hope Valley, R.I., and her passenger, David N. Torrey, 19, of Shannock, R.I., were taken to Winchester Hospital for potential minor injuries.

Parziale and her two passengers, Glenn Robichaud, 55, from Bedford, and Denis J. Splaine, 53, from Boston, were taken to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington. Splaine was released from the hospital after his injuries were treated and Parziale was listed as being in stable condition yesterday. Police report that Robichaud died from his injuries sustained in the accident.

A State Police spokesman, David Procopio, said that Parziale will likely also be charged with motor vehicle homicide. The charges against her currently include operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. This is Parziale´s second offense for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident is still under investigation and being conducted by Troop A of the state police, the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, the Middlesex County State Police Detective Unit, the Lexington Police and Fire departments, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s highway division.

If you have been involved in a car accident in Massachusetts, it is in your best interest to contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

1 killed, 4 hurt in I-95 crash, The Boston Globe, May 16, 2011
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A serious single-car rollover accident on I-290 in Northborough is under investigation. Massachusetts State Police reported that around 1 p.m. on Saturday, a Mazda rolled over in the median between the east and west-bound lanes. The female driver and the male passenger have been taken to the Worcester UMass Memorial Medical Center. Although their names have not yet been released, police confirmed that the passenger´s injuries were very severe.

Data produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that approximately 85% of rollover fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. Most rollover accidents do not involve another vehicle and thus the status of the driver at the time of the crash is a key factor in the crash.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reports that 15% of vehicles involved in Massachusetts fatal crashes were rollovers in 2006.

Driving while exhausted, distracted, and under the influence can lead to a higher chance of rollover accidents. Properly inflated tires and ensuring that your cargo weight is not too heavy for your vehicle can also increase your ability to maintain vehicle control.

A tripped rollover, or a rollover caused by the tires digging into soft soil or hitting an object, can occur due to any of the following circumstances:

• Soft soil • Guardrail • Another vehicle • Steep slope
When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Single-car rollover accident on I-290 seriously injures one, TheDailyNorthborough.com, May 07, 2011
Roadway Safety Tips, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
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Vehicle Hit and Rolls Over on Route 9

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A severe two-car accident on the Boston Turnpike/Route 9 in Shrewsbury yesterday resulted in an overturned vehicle and the temporary closure of Route 9 Eastbound. A 2008 Subaru Forester, driven by Antonia Cappuccio who is 61 and from Jefferson, rolled over when she was hit by a 1995 Lincoln Continental driven by Mary Iannotti, age 84, from Worcester. Cappuccio and Iannotti both hit the center divide and the Subaru continued to rollover. The Lincoln drove off of the road to the right.

Each driver suffered injuries and were both taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. The two passengers in the Subaru were also taken to the hospital, one of which was a young child
who was taken to be evaluated.

The cause of this accident continues to be under investigation by an accident reconstruction team and the Shrewsbury Police.

Rollover accidents can occur in many different circumstances. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that there is a greater rollover risk if:

• The driver is inexperienced or fatigued • The driver is distracted • The tires are not the correct size for the vehicle • The tires are improperly inflated
• Cargo or passenger weight surpasses the recommended weight found in the vehicle´s user manual.

If you have been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

Major accident snarls Route 9 in Shrewsbury, The Shrewsbury Lantern, May 3, 2011
Rollover, safecar.gov
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A fatal accident in Raynham over the weekend is under investigation. The head-on collision on Saturday killed a mother from Taunton. Her only passenger was her 2-year-old daughter, who survived. Kerrin Durrigan was driving a white sedan on South Main Street when it collided into a black pick-up truck driven by Richard Lawrence, 25. His passenger was Justin Hauk, 27. Both from Raynham, they were taken to Morton Hospital and Medical Center. They were treated and have since been released.

Durrigan was trapped inside her vehicle and had to be extricated from the severely damaged car. Firefighters then performed CPR on Durrigan and she was taken to Morton Hospital and Medical Center. Fire Chief James Januse said that she was pronounced dead soon after.

Her daughter, Teagan Wilson, was taken to a Boston hospital to be monitored. Fire Chief Januse said “The child was in a car seat. That probably saved her life.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately 8,959 young lives were saved from 1975 to 2008 because of child seats and restraints. Massachusetts law requires the use of child car seats until children are 8 years of age and are at least 57 inches tall.

The NHTSA recommends to:

• Find a car seat that fits your child’s age, height, and weight.
• Keep your child in the car seat for as long as they fit the seat’s height and weight requirements found in the manual.
• Children under 13 should always sit in the back seat.

When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Raynham Fire Chief: Being in car seat ‘probably saved’ child’s life in car crash, Taunton Daily Gazette, May 2, 2011

Child Passenger Safety Laws, Governors Highway Safety Administration, May 2011
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A number of Wednesday morning car accidents this week left one man dead and Massachusetts State Police busy from accident to accident during the morning commute.

The most severe of four accidents involved a 46-year-old man from Derry, John Perry. After losing control of his vehicle on Route 3, he crossed over an exit ramp in Tynsgborough, crossed the median, rear-ended another vehicle, and then tumbled into the side embankment. Perry was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident. State Police report that the accident is under investigation but Perry might have suffered from a medical condition that led him to lose control of his vehicle.

Another crash, on Interstate-93 South, was a two-car crash near Ballardvale Street in Wilmington at 6:45 a.m. One person was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

The third accident involved a commercial vehicle and a 2008 Pontiac Grand Am. William Gurrisi Jr., 48, from Haverhill, was driving the commercial vehicle and Rosalie Papoutsy, 73, from Atkinson, was driving the Pontiac. Gurrisi was transported to Lawrence General Hospital for his injuries. Both vehicles were towed from the scene of the accident. The accident is under investigation and the cause of the accident is not yet known.

The final accident occurred at 6:50 a.m. on Interstate-93 South near Dascomb Road. Thomas Judd, 58, from Lowell was driving his 1998 Buick Regal when it caught fire. He was able to pull over to the side of the road and escape without any injuries before the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The Andover Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Although the causes of all of these early morning accidents are under investigation, it is important to be aware of common early morning driving hazards and to never drive when fatigued.

• Do not start your journey tired.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle if you become tired while driving. Pull over to a safe rest stop as soon as possible.
• Plan at least 15-minute breaks every two hours for long drives.
• Opening the window for fresh air or turning up the radio are only sufficient until you find a place to pull over.

If you have been in a Massachusetts car accident in which fatigue may have been a factor, contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Source:

Derry man dies in Mass. accident, The Eagle-Tribune, April 28, 2011 Continue reading

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A single-car accident on Route 24 in Fall River is under investigation in which one woman has died. The only person in the crash, Alexandra Medeiros, 20, from Fall River, was driving North on Route 24 in the early afternoon when her 2002 Nissan Altima crashed into woods on the side of the road.

According to State Trooper Lori-Ann Wheaton’s preliminary investigation, the engine subsequently caught fire due to the crash. Three State Troopers who were at a nearby location responded to the radio dispatch and were able to extinguish the fire. Medeiros was trapped inside until emergency crews were able to extract her from the wreckage. She was then taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River where she was pronounced dead.

Although it is still under investigation, high speed is being considered as a possible reason for the crash. Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, are all contributing to the investigation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is one of the most common reasons for car accidents. The NHTSA estimates that the economic cost of speed-related crashes is $40.4 billion per year. Speeding was the cause of 31 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 and in that same year, 11,674 people died in speed-related car accidents.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a fatal Massachusetts car accident, contact an experienced Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

Fall River woman killed in fiery crash on Route 24, Bridgewater Independent, April 25, 2011
Police ID woman who died in Route 24 crash, Taunton Gazette, April 26, 2011
Driver Education, Speeding, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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After a single-car accident at 3:30 a.m. on Friday in Somerville, two teenage girls aged 16 and 17 have died. The first teenager died at the scene of the accident, and the second died on Saturday at Massachusetts General Hospital from her injuries sustained from the crash. Their names have not been released. State Police report that neither girl was wearing a seatbelt.

The teenagers were passengers of Kenneth W. Belew, 21, of Somerville. David Procopio, State Police spokesman, said Belew faces two charges of motor vehicle homicide, drunken driving, a marked lane violation and speeding. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in Somerville District Court. Three other passengers, Jerry Altidor, 21, from Somerville, Rafaela Pereira, 19, from Everett, and Rudolph Reis, 20, from Somerville, were all wearing their seatbelts and sustained only minor injuries.

State Police report that this is not Belew´s first driving violation. He has been cited seven times for speeding, violating lane markings, driving without an inspection sticker, and a seat belt infraction.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S. and are the cause for more than one in three deaths for teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19. In 2009, eight teenagers in this age group died from car accidents every day. They further report that in 2008, three out of every four teenagers killed in car crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer.

Sources:

2d teen in Somerville crash dies of injuries, The Boston Globe, April 25, 2011
Teen Drivers, Injury Prevention & Control: Motor Vehicle Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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An accident involving a dump truck set off a four-car accident that left three people injured on Route 16 in Uxbridge. A Toyota Camry driven by George Cournoyer, 73, of Slatersville, R.I., drifted into the opposite lane of traffic and hit a dump truck that was towing an excavator. The dump truck then lost control and the trailer flipped over, blocking both lanes. Two other cars were hit as the trailer rolled over.

Cournoyer was severely injured. Mendon Police Chief Ernest Horn, who led the accident reconstruction investigation reported that,”He had significant internal injuries and left-sided injuries from the crash.” According to Police Chief Scott J. Freitas, the roof of his car had to be removed in order to extricate him. He was then taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester by helicopter.

A pregnant woman from Webster, Stephanie Daigle, and her 6-year-old son were taken to Milford Regional Medical Center with what Freitas described as “very, very minor injuries.” She was taken to the hospital as a caution because she was pregnant and has since been released. Her vehicle was hit by the trailer as it rolled over.

Because diesel fuel spilled onto the road from the crash, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Clean Harbors were contacted to clean up the environmental hazards.

Although no charges have been filed yet, the accident is currently under investigation and charges are expected to be filed.

When involved in a Massachusetts car accident, it is advised that you contact a Massachusetts car accident lawyer. Especially in the case of a multiple-car accident with one vehicle at fault, it is important to find a >lawyer who has decades of experience with multiple-car accident insurance claims.

Source:

Several hurt in Uxbridge crash, The Milford Daily News, April 19, 2011
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An accident involving at least six cars at the Boston Logan International Airport is under investigation. On Monday morning at approximately 6:35 a.m., the multiple vehicle crash happened at the Terminal C drop-off departure level outside of the Jet Blue check-in area. State police report that a 63-year-old North Reading woman caused the accident by accelerating instead of braking. After hitting five cars in a row, her 2007 Ford Explorer finally came to a halt in a baggage checking area on the curb. Logan Airport spokesman Phil Orlandella confirmed that the vehicle came to a stop at the AirTran area of the terminal.

Police report that the woman driving the SUV has been identified as Carol Guthrie. In a preliminary investigation, State Police found that she mistook her gas pedal for her brake pedal. She has nonetheless been issued a summons and has been cited for negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Boston Emergency Medical Services reported that three people, including Guthrie, were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with minor injuries. This accident continues to be under investigation.

If you have been injured in a car accident, contact one of our experienced Boston car accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

North Reading woman cited by State Police for crash at Logan Airport, boston.com, April 18, 2011
Minor injuries in Boston airport car crash, Boston Globe, April 18, 2011 Continue reading

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