State Police Investigate Fatal Crash on Route 128 South in Burlington
This afternoon, 43-year-old Juan Condorie of Lawrence died at Boston Medical Center as a result of injuries suffered when he was ejected from the motor vehicle he was riding in during the crash. Another Lawrence man, 22-year-old Alberto Maza, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6:53 a.m. crash, which occurred just north of Route 3 (Exit 32).
State Police this afternoon charged ROBERT CARLO JR., 29, of Bedford, with two counts of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of the crash. Evidence collected by State Police suggests that CARLO was driving a 2008 Ford F-250 pickup truck southbound in the second lane from the left on Route 128 when he failed to stay within his lane and swerved into the lane to his right. At that time, a 1996 Ford Explorer driven by Jose M. Martinez, 29, of Woburn was traveling in the third lane from the left.
The pickup truck driven by CARLO made contact with the Ford Explorer, causing the Explorer to lose control and spin out to its left and cross the highway, where it collided in the far left lane with a 2008 Dodge Durango occupied by five men. As a result of that collision, both the Durango and the Explorer rolled over. CARLO, meanwhile, fled the scene in the Ford pickup.
After rolling over, the Dodge Durango came to rest in an upright position on the roadway. Its driver, 24-year-old Albert Fernandez, and two passengers, 22-year-old Alberto Maza and 20-year-old Alex J. Francisco, all of Lawrence, were ejected during the rollover. Maza was pronounced deceased at the scene, while Fernandez and Francisco were transported by ambulance to Lahey Clinic in Burlington with serious injuries.
Two other passengers, 43-year-old Juan Condorie and 35-year-old Carlos Maza, also both of Lawrence, were extricated from the vehicle by rescue personnel using the Jaws of Life. Condorie was transported from the scene by medical helicopter to Boston Medical Center, where he died this afternoon. Carlos Maza was transported by ambulance to Lahey Clinic in Burlington with serious injuries.
After rolling over, the Ford Explorer came to rest on its roof in the roadway. The driver and sole occupant, 29-year-old Jose M. Martinez of Woburn, was ejected during the rollover and sustained minor injuries. He was transported to Lahey Clinic in Burlington.
A subsequent investigation by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Danvers Barracks, which included interviews of victims and witnesses, led to the discovery of CARLO's Ford pickup outside a Boston Sports Club in Lexington. Physical evidence from the apparently abandoned vehicle suggested it had been involved in a recent crash. State Police towed the pickup for further processing of evidence. Further investigation by State Police led to the identification CARLO as its driver.
At 12:55 p.m., State Police located CARLO at a Friendly's restaurant in Bedford, where he was placed under arrest by Trooper Joseph Keefe. After interviewing CARLO at the Danvers barracks, State Police charged him with two counts of negligent motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident causing serious injury or death. CARLO is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court.
This crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Burlington Police and Fire and Mass Highway assisted troopers at the scene.
Due to the crash investigation Route 128 southbound was closed intermittently for 2 hours and 16 minutes.
No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.