State Police Investigate Fatal Crash on Route 24 in Taunton

Today, Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at approximately 2:15 a.m., troopers assigned to that State Police Barracks in Middleborough responded to a two-vehicle crash on Route 24 South prior to Route 44 (exit 13A) in Taunton that resulted in one fatality.

Preliminary investigation by Trooper Walter Beard indicates that 38-year-old Raymond L. Lalliere of New Bedford was operating a 2002 Ford Focus wagon on Route 24 South when he attempted to avoid an animal in the roadway. He lost control of his vehicle which struck the median guardrail on the left shoulder of the roadway and rolled over. The Ford came to rest in the left lane of Route 24 South, on its roof and perpendicular to traffic. Patrick J. Burke, a 46-year-old man from Bridgewater, was operating a 2003 Dodge Dakota in the left lane of Route 24 South when he attempted to avoid the Ford but was unable to do so. The front of the Dodge crashed into the passenger's side of the overturned Ford. It is unknown if Burke was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash but he sustained only minor injuries and was transported to Morton Hospital by ambulance. Raymond L. Lalliere and the three adult passengers in the Ford were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The front seat passenger in the Ford, 50-year-old Rose M. Lalliere of New Bedford, sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was declared deceased at the scene. Raymond L. Lalliere and 21-year-old Debra Marie Evora of New Bedford, a rear seat passenger in the Ford, suffered serious injuries in the crash and were transported by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. Another rear seat passenger in the Ford, 20-year-old Luis A. Rios of New Bedford, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Morton Hospital by Ambulance.

This crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. The Raynham Police Department, the Taunton Police Department, the Raynham Fire Department and MassHighway assisted troopers at the scene.

Due to the investigation and vehicle recovery the left lane of Route 24 South was closed for approximately 3 hours. All lanes of Route 24 North and South were closed for approximately 30 minutes to provide a safe landing zone for the medical helicopter to land and transport from the crash scene.