Police investigate fatal Mansfield crash involving student driver
MANSFIELD — A crash in Mansfield, involving a student driver is under investigation after an 80-year-old suffered a medical emergency and died.
First responders rushed to Mansfield high school Saturday after a crash along East Street left an 80-year-old man dead.
According to the Bristol County District Attorney's office, a student driver with only a permit was driving a Toyota Corolla belonging to the Teacher's Driving Academy with an RMV road agent in the passenger's seat and an elderly man in the back when he failed to yield to oncoming traffic and crashed into an SUV.
After the collision, John Masciarelli, the 80-year-old elderly passenger, suffered what the DA's office described as a "medical episode."
He was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital where he later died.
"I know that area, it's busy," said Mansfield neighbor, Jim Shoquette.
"Mansfield's always been tight-knit. Everyone knows each other," he continued.
His children go to school along East Road, where he says the campus parking lots are packed on school days but empty on weekends, except for the odd student learning to drive.
"During the mornings they always offered driver's ed over there," said Shoquette. "I know I've seen them one-on-one with instructor leaving and kind of going down the school road."
No other serious injuries were reported and the student driver was given a citation by police.
It is unclear whether the medical episode was brought on by the crash and what the relationship between the driver and Masciarelli is at this time.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Bristol County DA.
