State Police Release Identities of Victims in Fatal Attleboro Crash

The identities of two victims involved in the fatal crash on Route 95 in Attleboro on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, have been confirmed through dental records by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The victims were identified as 29-year-old Michael Groff of West Warwick, Rhode Island, and 32-year-old Melissa Gauthier of Cumberland, Rhode Island. Groff was operating a 2008 Nissan Altima sedan on Route 95 North in Attleboro when his vehicle made contact in the right travel lane with a 1998 Honda Accord sedan operated by Gauthier. After the initial collision, both vehicles lost control, exited the road to the right, continued through the on-ramp from Route 295 North to Route 95 North, up an embankment and into the concrete bridge abutment for Route 295. After colliding with the bridge abutment, both vehicles came to rest on their roofs adjacent to the abutment and caught fire. The Attleboro Fire Department responded to the scene but where unable to extricate the occupants of either vehicle before they became fully engulfed. The operators of both vehicles were the only occupants and were both declared deceased at the scene. Initial reports indicate that both vehicles were operating on Route 95 North at high rates of speed, utilizing all lanes and passing traffic immediately prior to the crash.

Although speed does appear to have been a factor, this crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the Bristol County State Police Detective Unit, the Troop H Investigation Unit and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. The Attleboro Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal's Office and MassHighway assisted troopers at the scene.

During to the investigation and vehicle removal the right two lanes of Route 95 North and the ramp from Route 295 North to Route 95 North were closed for approximately 3 ½ hours.

No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.

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