Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Our Massachusetts workers’ compensation attorneys urge you to give law enforcement and safety crews a break this season and obey the state’s Move Over law.
Two men were indicted recently for a Massachusetts car accident that killed a state police sergeant in June. The tragic death was a result of two different drivers making senseless decisions to get behind the wheel while being under the influence of alcohol.
Earlier last month, Colonel Marian McGovern commented on the indictment of two men who killed State Police Sgt. Douglas Weddleton on June 18, 2010. She praised the investigative efforts of several agencies that lead to the arrests of two men on charges of felony motor vehicle homicide.
The Patriot Ledger reported that Sgt. Weddleton, working in the early morning hours of June 18th, had been assigned a road construction detail on Interstate 95. He had to prevent vehicles from traveling via the off ramp from Interstate 95 to Interstate 495. He had his patrol car blocking the ramp but a car tried to get around him and go onto the ramp. After getting the sedan stopped, Sgt. Weddleton went to the car to investigate the driver’s actions. While standing next to the car, a pickup truck came from behind and slammed into the stationary car which hit Sgt. Weddleton. The pickup truck hit the car so hard on impact that the car traveled across 3 lanes of the highway. Both drivers were charged with drunk driving, while the driver of the pickup was also charged with motor vehicle homicide. Records show even though they both had long lists of motor vehicle offenses, neither had any previous drunk driving convictions.
It is clear neither driver was adhering to the Move Over Law that went into effect last year. Drivers are supposed to move over or slow down when coming upon maintenance or emergency vehicles with flashing lights. This makes for safer working conditions for emergency and maintenance personnel who are working on the project.
With help from family, friends and sometimes strangers it is important to keep intoxicated drivers from driving. Let’s all continue to keep drunk drivers off the road: use designated drivers, call a friend or use public transportation if you’ve had too much.
If you are someone you know has been involved in an automobile accident in the Boston area, contact the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. Please call toll free at 877-617-5333.