According to authorities on Sunday, a child who was one of several persons gravely injured in a crash in Franklin, Massachusetts, on Saturday night has passed away.
As of Sunday night, Franklin police and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office said the girl’s mother and brother were still in the hospital. Her father, who was operating the family vehicle, was also injured but has since been released.
According to authorities, the vehicle struck a pickup truck on Grove Street at approximately 6:22 p.m. James N. Blanchard, a 21-year-old Franklin resident, is the driver of the pickup and has been taken into custody.
Officials said he is charged with motor vehicle homicide, intoxicated driving, and careless operation. In anticipation of his hearing in Wrentham District Court on Tuesday, he was ordered to be jailed on $500,000 bond.
At 6:22 p.m., Franklin police said they received calls of a significant crash near Grove Street and Beaver Street. When they got there, they discovered two cars had crashed, leaving people trapped and seriously injured.
According to authorities, three people—two by ambulance and one by helicopter—were transported to nearby hospitals in critical condition.
Between Beaver Street and Forge Hill Road, Grove Street was closed. Local and state police were looking into the matter.
An automobile off the road next to a business complex sign with airbags deployed and a pickup truck turned about in the middle of the road with significant front-end damage were among the two severely damaged vehicles captured on camera at the site.
Residents of Franklin told NBC10 Boston on Sunday night that the town as a whole is devastated by the fatal crash.
One woman remarked, “I will pray for those people it’s just, that’s horrifying.”
“You know, the whole community is hurt. “It’s awful,” Mullaney Harris remarked.
“It’s terrible to hear that a girl that young is gone because someone doesn’t know how to put the keys down,” said Danny Fontecchio. “I hope he gets what’s coming to him.”
Whether Blanchard had a lawyer who could comment on the charges against him was not immediately apparent.
Residents said they are praying for the family who lost their child, and a lone teddy bear was left at the spot on Sunday night.
“I really just hope that family gets justice and closure and hopefully some peace at some point,” Harris said.
