Third victim dies after wrong-way Christmas night crash in Somerset; driver charged
SOMERSET — The third victim in a Christmas night crash on Veterans Memorial Bridge that claimed two other lives has died.
Donna Arruda, 68, of Seekonk, died Friday afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital as result of injuries she sustained in the crash, the Bristol County District Attorney's Office said.
The crash happened on Christmas night, after an alleged drunk driver going the wrong way struck two vehicles. State Police identified the two other victims who died as Floriano Arruda, 73, and his grandson Jacoby Arruda, 15.
Donna Arruda was Floriano's wife.
All three were from Seekonk.
Details of the Christmas night crash
The Arrudas were in a 2014 Infiniti QX50 SUV that was struck head on.
According to a previous press release on the crash, just after 11 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 25, troopers from the State Police Dartmouth Barracks responded to the westbound side of the bridge. Their preliminary investigation indicated that a 2023 Range Rover SUV with a New York registration was driving east on the westbound side. The Range Rover struck two westbound vehicles: the Infiniti that the Arrudas were in, and a 2019 Honda Accord sedan, with two occupants.
The crash necessitated the closure of both westbound lanes on the bridge for four hours, State Police said.
The driver and passenger of the Honda, both of them young adult women from Taunton, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at Charlton Memorial Hospital.
Jacoby Arruda was pronounced dead on Monday night at Charlton Memorial Hospital. Floriano Arruda was pronounced dead Tuesday morning at Rhode Island Hospital.
Driver charged: Police say grandfather and grandson killed by drunken driver in head-on crash on Christmas
Driver arraigned; now facing additional charge of motor vehicle homicide
State Police and the DA’s office identified the driver of the Range Rover as Adam Gauthier, 41, of New York, formerly of Somerset.
Gauthier was treated at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for non-life-threatening injuries.
He was arraigned from his hospital bed on Tuesday afternoon and held on $100,000 cash bail.
In the wake of Donna Arruda's death, new charges of manslaughter while operating under the influence and motor vehicle homicide-OUI liquor, will be filed against Gauthier, the DA's office said in a press release on Friday.
These two new charges are in addition to the ones Gauthier already faces: two counts of manslaughter while operating under the influence, two counts of motor vehicle homicide-OUI liquor, and one count each of OUI-liquor with serious bodily injury, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and driving the wrong way on a state highway.
Gauthier is set to appear in Fall River District Court for an initial pre-trial hearing in the case on Jan. 9.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catherine Sauter.
"This is a terrible tragedy, especially when it occurred on Christmas night. My heart grieves for the victims and their family for their terrible loss," stated District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III.
The crash investigation is being conducted by the State Police Dartmouth Barracks, State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and State Police Detective Unit for Bristol County. The Fall River and Somerset Fire Departments responded to the crash as well.
-- With reporting from Herald News Digital Producer Dan Medeiros
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Third victim dies after wrong-way Christmas night crash in Somerset
