Thursday, 4:30 PM
Repeat drunk driver charged in fatal Wilmington car wreck
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
A man died early this morning in Wilmington after he was thrown from a car driven by convicted drunk driver with a suspended license who police charge had gotten behind the wheel again after he had been drinking. The three-car accident at 1:30 a.m. shut down southbound Interstate 93 traffic for almost four hours.
State police did not release the name of the man who died. He was riding in a 1997 Chevrolet Malibu that police said spun out of control near Concord Street on I-93 and was struck by two other cars.
Police also did not identify the driver of the Malibu, who faces charges that include operating to endanger while under the influence of alcohol resulting in motor vehicle homicide; operating after license suspension while under the influence of alcohol; and his second offense of operating after suspension while under the influence of alcohol. The driver was rushed to Leahy Clinic with serious injuries.
A woman who was also traveling in the Malibu was partially ejected during the crash and flown to Beth Israel Hospital with serious injuries.
After the Malibu skidded to a halt in the middle of the road, it caused a two car chain reaction, police said. The Malibu was hit by a 2004 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. The Cadillac was then rammed by a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.
The drivers of the Cadillac and the Colorado were not injured, police said.
This crash remains under investigation. By 5 a.m., two lanes of southbound I-93 were reopened to traffic.
