Three-vehicle crash kills Lawrence, Mass. man

Photo courtesy of MGN

By Colette Lauture

A Massachusetts man was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 495 Thursday. The incident also involved a tractor-trailer.

According to state police, they responded to calls reporting a serious crash around 6 p.m., in Westford on I-495 North. Upon arrival, they found the three-vehicle crash with the tractor trailer that struck and overrode a Toyota Tacoma pickup.

After Westford Fire and EMS arrived at the scene, emergency personnel began working to remove the driver of the Tacoma. A 26-year-old man from Lawrence, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released his name. The drivers of the other two vehicles were not hurt.

In their preliminary investigation, state police said a Volkswagen EOS was driving north in the right lane of I-495. A Freightliner tractor-trailer was in the middle lane, and the Toyota Tacoma was driving north in the same proximity.

For reasons still undetermined, state police said the Volkswagen struck the tractor-trailer’s front right side. This caused the trailer to enter the grassy median on the highway’s left side. The trailer then re-entered the road, where it made contact with the Tacoma. The Tacoma rolled over and was overridden by the trailer.

I-495 north’s left and center travel lanes were closed for recovery and cleanup. State police are still investigating the crash.