Auto accidents: 1 dead, 2 seriously injured

One person is dead and another is clinging to life following a serious crash in Dartmouth, according to authorities. Massachusetts State Police typically support local law enforcement in investigating auto accidents, particularly when they occur on major state routes. So far, police have not indicated they intend to press charges against the driver involved in the single-vehicle crash, but their investigation into this matter is not yet complete.

According to the accident report, shortly before 1:30 the afternoon of May 18, a vehicle traveling eastbound on Route 195 suddenly swerved right, across several lanes of eastbound traffic. The vehicle spun out when it entered the breakdown lane and was traveling backwards when it struck a tree. Police responded shortly thereafter.

One woman, a passenger in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The driver, who has not been identified, suffered injuries described as life-threatening and was rushed to a local hospital. A juvenile passenger in the car, who has also not been identified, was also taken to a children’s hospital for treatment. That individual’s injuries are unknown as of this report.

In auto accidents wherein someone is killed, Massachusetts authorities typically investigate thoroughly to determine whether one or more drivers can be deemed materially responsible for the crash. In this case, it is possible driver error, negligence or recklessness could have been the cause of the crash. If this is the case, police may choose to file charges against the driver. Even if no criminal charges are filed, the families of the deceased woman and the injured juvenile are entitled to file wrongful death and/or personal injury suits against the driver in civil court.

Source: masslive.com, “1 killed, 1 suffers ‘life threatening injuries’ in car crash in Dartmouth; State Police investigating“, Lucas Ropek, May 18, 2017