Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Massachusetts State Police report that a Holbrook man was drunk when he fled the scene of a car crash yesterday that seriously injured a Weymouth woman on the Southeast Expressway in Dorchester. The accident forced the closing of three lanes of southbound traffic for three hours with only the left travel lane open for motorists.

Alyssa Connolly, 25, a passenger in a Toyota Corolla, was thrown from the car that went off the highway and slammed into a snow bank before rolling over and coming to rest on its roof. Connolly was taken to Boston Medical Center–her condition remains unknown.

The driver, Patrick Fay, 24, was driving south when the accident occurred near exit 13 in Dorchester shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday. Trooper Sean Reardon apprehended Fay when he tried to run from the scene. Fay has been charged with drunk driving, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury, speeding and failure to stay within marked lanes.

Medical receptionist Vanessa Viveiros of Lincoln was placed on 2 1/2 years of probation and made to participate in a first-offenders alcohol driver education program on Friday after being found guilty of driving to endanger and six counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon.

The Rhode Island woman admitted to driving drunk and road rage, causing a collision with a car with six occupants on Interstate 495 and nearly forcing a state trooper off the road.

According to her lawyer, John MacDonald, the incident began with a quarrel at a Providence nightclub that was sparked by the other driver which caused Viveiros to fly into an alcohol-induced rage and chase after the victim, repeatedly crashing into the rear of the victim’s car as it drove down the highway.

New Hampshire State Police responded to an accident on I-93 Tuesday night involving five young Woburn residents in a rolled over Izuzu Trooper. Police suspect the car had hit a guard rail, causing it to rollover on the driver side. The driver, Kyle Ahearn, 19, and four passengers Joseph Briere, 19, Shshank Samual, 20, Ethan Ahern, 15, and Patrick Raistrick, 18, were rescued and treated by firefighters from Derry, NH.

All passengers except one, Joseph Briere, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. According to police, Briere was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital where he died later that night due to the injuries he sustained in the crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, SUVs had the highest passenger vehicle occupant fatality rate in rollovers of any vehicle type-5.96 per 100,000 registered vehicles. NHTSA publishes rollover safety ratings by make and model year, and tire ratings by brand. Those ratings can be found at http://www.safercar.gov.

State trooper, Steven Larocco, was struck in his vehicle yesterday morning while making a routine traffic stop on the Massachusetts Turnpike near Palmer, Massachusetts. The driver that hit Larocco, Robert Murangi, was cited by police as driving with an open container of alcohol.

Murangi rear-ended the police cruiser while it was parked between the median and left eastbound lane to investigate a stopped Jeep Liberty. Murangi’s Dodge Avenger ran into the back of the cruiser and forced it into the Liberty. Larocco and the driver of the Liberty were sent to the hospital along with the two passengers in Murangi’s Avenger. All were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Earlier this summer, Colonel Marian J. McGovern, head of the Massachusetts state police, announced a trooper safety study after a series of incidents that saw five troopers struck and injured by motor vehicles – one of them, Sgt. Douglas Weddleton, fatally – in a five-week period. McGovern herself was was rear-ended in October 2010 on Route 20 in Shrewsbury by what turned out to be a repeat drunk driver with four prior convictions.

Source: Trooper, 3 others injured in crash, Boston Globe, January 3, 2011; Colonel McGovern Announces Trooper Safety Study, Mass.gov, July 22, 2010 Continue reading

A major snowstorm pummeled the Dakotas and Minnesota on New Years Eve causing a massive car pileup on I-94, shutting down both lanes of traffic between Jamestown and Fargo, North Dakota.

Cass County Sheriff’s Capt. Rick Majerus said nearly 100 vehicles were involved in the pileup near Fargo. Some travelers were stranded in their vehicles for several hours before rescuers could get to them. Further down I-94 in Minnesota, officials reported two fatal car crashes resulting from road conditions.

In Massachusetts, residents were faced with a similar dilemma as the first major blizzard of the season impacted holiday travel plans, shutting down airports and train service along the East coast and slowing transportation on the roads to a halt in some areas. Because of the heavy snowfall, many areas are still struggling to keep the roads clear of ice and snow forcing residents to chance driving in dangerous conditions as they go back to work on Monday.

Source: Blizzard causes 100-car pileup near Fargo, N.D., USA TODAY, December 31, 2010 Continue reading

Earlier this month, Marion police responded to an emergency call about a car engulfed in flame near the Kittansett Golf Club. A 75-year-old man was trapped inside the vehicle and had died by the time emergency crews were able to remove him from the car. The body was taken by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.

According to the results of a preliminary investigation, the man was driving south of Point Road when he hit a fire hydrant, rocks, and trees. The car accident victim was semiretired and had been working part-time as a business professor at UMASS Dartmouth. The roof of his home had been destroyed by a chimney fire earlier this year.

It is not known if either of the fires were accidental or intentional, but here in Massachusetts, the penalty for attempting to burn a building or structure is ten years in prison. The fine for burning personal property over $25 or a vehicle is three years or $500. Authorities are still investigating the fatal car crash.

Source: Marion man dies in fiery crash, WickedLocal.com, December 23, 2010 Continue reading

The Commonwealth deregulated the car insurance industry two years ago, and since then, five insurers have added an optional pet injury insurance option for pet-lovers who want to cover their animals. Like traditional car insurance policies which cover the medical costs of those injured in motor vehicle accidents, these pet policies cover $500-$1,000 for veterinary bills with no deductible.

Customers of the Quincy-based Arbella Mutual Insurance can pay $20 annually for the “Pet Lover’s Endorsement,” which covers up to $500 to treat injuries sustained by a dog or cat in a car crash. If Fluffy or Fido died as a result of an accident, burial or disposal costs might also be covered. So far, hundreds of policy-holders have added pet coverage.

In Boston, the Angell Animal Medical Center treats an average of two or three animals injured in accidents per month. According to a spokesman for MSPCA-Angell, typical injuries include whiplash, fractured bones, and injuries from the impact of airbags or windshields.

NOTE: Mentioning the names of insurance companies and policies should not construed as an endorsement. We encourage you to comparison shop on your own before signing up for an insurance policy.

Source: Auto insurers take on pets, Boston Herald, December 19, 2010 Continue reading

Early Saturday morning, a 16-year-old passenger died after his twin brother reportedly drove a 1999 Saturn into a utility pole. The pole snapped in half, trapping both boys inside the vehicle. A Brockton resident described hearing a loud noise when the Saturn hit the utility pole. She rushed outside to find a mangled car covered in shattered glass. The driver’s hand was caught between the door frame and the body of the car, and she talked to the car accident victims as they waited for emergency responders to arrive.

Firefighters spent half an hour cutting through the wreck before they were able to free the brothers from the vehicle. The injured driver was transported to Brockton Hospital and later transferred to Boston. He has been charged with several motor vehicle offenses, including using a motor vehicle without authorization, driving under the influence of alcohol, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and speeding. However, Brockton police captain said there could be additional charges filed following the investigation.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 20. Each year, thousands of teen drivers die of injuries sustained on the road, and male teen drivers are more than one and a half times more likely to be involved in a fatal auto accident.

Source: Brockton woman recounts efforts to help victims in fatal crash, EnterpriseNews.com, December 15, 2010 Continue reading