NY Yankees intern killed in Waltham crash

WALTHAM

A New Jersey man killed Sunday when an alleged drunk driver hit his car from behind on Route 128 in Waltham was an intern in the media relations office of the New York Yankees, team officials said.

The team identified the young man as Matthew Wasser, 22, of Bernardsville, N.J. Wasser was a student at the College of New Jersey, and was set to graduate this December with a degree in communications, officials said.

"A loss of this magnitude is impossible to put into words," Yankees Director of Media Relations Jason Zillo said in a statement released by Major League Baseball. "Matt will long be remembered for his boundless enthusiasm and uplifting, selfless spirit. The Yankees family reaches out to the Wasser family during this tremendous time of grief, as we keep his loved ones and friends close to our heart."

State police said that Wasser and the driver of the car, Christian N. Ighodaro of Hyde Park, were stopped in traffic in the northbound left lane about 2:50 a.m. when a car driven by a Templeton man struck the car.

Lawrence P. Laine of Templeton, who was uninjured in the crash, was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, police said. Ighodaro was taken to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington with serious injuries.

-- Ralph Ranalli