Two Dead In Separate Overnight Crashes On Route 140 In New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD (CBS) -- Two people were killed and several people were hurt in separate crashes just miles apart on Route 140 early Sunday morning--including a single-car rollover and a large multi-vehicle, multi-collision crash.
In the first crash, around 12:15 a.m., a 25-year-old Acushnet man's car went off the road about 1/4 mile north of Exit 4 on Route 140 Southbound in New Bedford.
State Police said his 2005 Ford Escape hit a guardrail and rolled over, and the man was ejected and killed.
They said they believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Then, around 2:40 a.m., a crash involving at least four cars took place on Route 140 Northbound at the Nash Street overpass.
It began, State Police said, when a 2004 Lexus and 2010 Buick swiped one another.
The Buick, driven by a 35-year-old New Bedford woman, stopped in the left lane, while the Lexus, driven by a 21-year-old Fall River woman, went off the right side of the road and into the woods.
A Nissan Altima driven by a 20-year-old New Bedford man then crashed into the back of the Buick, which was sitting with its lights off. When the passenger in the Buick, a 39-year-old New Bedford man, got out to check on the Lexus driver, a Toyota Avalon driven by a 44-year-old New Bedford man hit him.
The 39-year-old Buick passenger was taken to Saint Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Lexus and Toyota drivers were also taken to Saint Luke's, and the Buick driver was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. Their conditions were not yet known.
Route 140 Southbound was closed for about 3 1/2 hours after the first crash, and Route 140 Northbound was closed for about four hours after the second.
Neither of the victims have yet been identified.
