Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray tells supporters he has been subject of ‘false rumors’ since his 108-mph crash

By Noah Bierman and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray has written to political supporters telling them that he has been subjected to “false rumors and wild speculation’’ since he crashed his state-owned car last November while driving in excess of 100 miles per hour.

“I understand that when a public figure is in any kind of accident people want to know how it happened,’’ Murray wrote. “Unfortunately, false rumors and wild speculation can result even when the details of the matter have been released to the public.’’

In the letter, which was obtained by the Globe, Murray repeats what he told reporters last week when the State Police released the data from the vehicle’s black box -- he made a mistake when he first blamed the crash on black ice on Interstate 190 in Sterling. He now believes he fell asleep at the wheel.

“The accident happened in a matter of seconds. I was shaken up, and not really knowing how it occurred, I assumed the ice must have caused the accident,’’ Murray wrote, adding that he overheard emergency responders talking about icy road conditions. “In light of the black box data and police report, my assumption was incorrect. I believe I nodded off while driving and the car ran off the road.’’

Murray also wrote that he had left his Worcester home about 4:45 a.m. on Nov. 2 to inspect storm damage in the region, and because he could not sleep after his 5-year-old daughter had climbed into bed with him and his wife, Tammy.

“Around quarter of five I gave up trying to sleep and decided to take a drive, get a coffee and a paper and prepare for the day,’’ he said, adding that he had often taken such drives while he was mayor of Worcester. “I did so to get a sense of the storm and power damage in the aftermath of the surprise snow storm that had just hit much of the state.’’

He wrote that he drove to the Route 2 interchange, reversed direction, and was headed back to Worcester when he crashed, a crash that totaled the 2007 Ford Crown Victoria car valued at $9,000.

“During this ride I did not meet anyone, or make any phone calls, texts, or e-mails. Also, the black box data showed that the car had been running for 42.5 minutes before the accident, which is consistent with the route I had traveled,” he wrote.

Murray said he had not gotten any special consideration from the State Police, which has ticketed him for speeding and driving without a seat belt. The state-owned car was totaled by the crash. He said the release of the black box data “went beyond normal procedure’’ and was done at his request.

Murray wrote that he hopes that the crash -- and the public criticism it has drawn -- can now be put behind him.

“This traumatic accident has been a difficult chapter, but I am thankful for the support I’ve received from so many,’’ he wrote. “Looking ahead, there is a lot of important work still to be done.’’

Murray, a Democrat, is often talked about as a potential candidate for governor when Deval Patrick’s term expires in 2014.