Thursday, 4:30 PM
Storm grate crashes through windshield on Route 128
(David Kamerman/Globe Staff)
Workers welded storm grates shut on Route 128 north after one of the covers crashed through a driver’s windshield.
By John R. Ellement, Michael Levenson, and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
The condition of the driver injured today by a flying storm drain on Route 128 has been upgraded slightly to critical but stable, according to a spokesman for the Norfolk district attorney.
Pawel Swierczynski, 39, was driving a 2003 Toyota Corolla north at 5:30 a.m. just south of University Avenue in Westwood when a storm drain grate loosened on the roadway and flew through the windshield of his car, State Police said. The North Easton resident was described by neighbors today as a devoted family man with a 5-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. Swierczynski, who was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, was flown to Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Other motorists have complained in recent days to MassHighway about loose storm grates in that section of Route 128, which is under construction.
"It's not the first one that's popped off," said Lieutenant Eric Anderson, a State Police spokesman.
At a press conference at the scene, Lieutenant Bruce Lint said that State Police had responded to a report from MassHighway, the state agency that maintains Route 128, about loose storm drains. "They sent out the appropriate official to investigate the situation and brought the appropriate services to repair it," Lint said.
Investigators are trying to determine how the grate came loose and are in the process of examining other storm drains. Workers could be seen today welding other storm grates shut. "The assumption is that another vehicle dislodged the grate," Anderson said.
The crash near Exit 13 had backed up traffic for 13 miles on a summer Friday. The logjam has extended back beyond the Braintree split and spilled onto Interstate 93, slowing vehicles coming in and out of Boston.
State Police and officials have remained on the scene since this morning and are in the process of inspecting the roadway to make sure it is safe.
"Out of extreme caution ... MassHighway is inspecting the roadway completely to make sure the same event will not occur again," Lint said. "They will report back to us based upon their engineer’s opinion as to the road being safe for the public to traverse."
John Lamontagne, a spokesman for MassHighway did not immediately respond to specific questions about the crash. "We are going to be conducting an independent investigation to determine how this occurred," Lamontagne said.
All of the northbound lanes of Route 128 were closed for an hour after the crash to allow a medical helicopter to land. Traffic remained heavy throughout the day, making for a long Friday rush hour for commuters.
Andrew Ryan can be reached at acryan@globe.com
(George Rizer/Globe Staff)
