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Man who died in Wayland crash had lost license

E-mail|Link March 18, 2010 05:09 PM

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A 43-year-old Hudson man who died when he was allegedly fleeing from Wayland Police early Wednesday morning had a checkered history as a driver and was driving without a license, according to Registry of Motor Vehicles records.

Craig D. Heinonen was driving south on Route 27 around 2 a.m. when a Wayland cruiser tried to pull him over. "Instead of stopping, the vehicle continued at a high rate of speed and subsequently lost control, crashing into a tree on Cochituate Road, south of Woodridge Road,'' Wayland Police said in a statement.

After the crash, Heinonen was rushed to MetroWest Medical Center in Natick where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Heinonen had a six-page driving history that dated to 1989 when he was ticketed for speeding in Berlin. He was ticketed for speeding eight times since then and was also found at least partially responsible for four crashes in Greater Boston, the Registry records show.

Heinonen had his license suspended last fall when he refused to take a chemical breath test after being stopped in Sudbury, the records show.

Henoinen was granted a hardship license from an appeals board overseen by the state Division of Insurance in November. A Registry spokeswoman said the license allowed Heinonen to drive between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Motorists can only get a hardship license after proving that they have to drive to get to work, among several other requirements.

But Heinonen's trouble with the authorities wouldn't end there. His right to drive was revoked Jan. 25 as the result of an incident on Jan. 22.

A Registry report said Heinonen was swerving his Toyota sedan on Interstate 90 in Natick about 2 a.m. He refused to stop for a state trooper and pulled onto an exit ramp, reaching speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, the report said. It was not clear from the report whether he was apprehended that morning, but a Registry spokeswoman said Heinonen was charged with several driving violations in connection with the incident.

Wayland Police have said Wednesday's incident is under investigation by the department with the assistance of the State Police crash investigations unit.