A Rhode Island man has been arrested and charged in connection with a multi-vehicle crash on I-95 that resulted in the death of a 58-year-old man from Foxboro.
Joseph Pompei, 50, of Cranston was arrested by Massachusetts State Police on charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident-causing personal injury, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
Pompei was arraigned and entered a not guilty plea on Aug. 29 in Attleboro District Court, where he was held on $50,000 cash bail.
According to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, Massachusetts State Police received a call at approximately 4 p.m. on Aug. 28 for a motor vehicle crash off Exit 7 on I-95 in North Attleborough.
Upon arrival, police found a white Caddilac Escalade with heavy front-end damage and a black 2015 Jaguar XJ with extensive damage that made the vehicle “almost unrecognizable,” according to Quinn.
The driver of the Jaguar, Randall Ricketts, 58, of Foxboro, was transported from the scene to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The driver of the Cadillac, a 61-year-old Providence man, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries and is currently in critical condition. Additionally, two occupants of the Cadillac were also injured in the crash and transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where they are reportedly in stable condition.
According to the North Attleborough Fire Department, both Ricketts and the Providence man were trapped inside their respective vehicles and freed by rescue crews, who used a hydraulic power cutting tool.
The crash caused all northbound lanes on I-95 to be closed until 8 p.m. as emergency vehicles secured the area.
According to the D.A.’s Office, an investigation conducted by Mass State Police found that a third vehicle, a gray Buick, was traveling southbound and made contact with the white SUV, causing it to cross the median into the northbound lanes and crash head-on with the black Jaguar. Attleboro Police located the vehicle at 5 p.m. the day of the crash and its operator, Pompei, who they then arrested.
The D.A.’s Office said the Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office along with the CARS Unit of the Massachusetts State Police are still conducting an ongoing investigation into the case.
