Earlier today, a fatal car accident claimed the life of Sage A. Woodward, 23 of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, despite immediate response and aid from Massachusetts State Troopers and bystanders, as reported by MSP News.
At approximately 3:45 a.m., Massachusetts State Troopers received several alerts indicating a vehicle and brush fire on Route 495 South in Plainville. They discovered a Rhode Island-registered 2008 BMW 328 ablaze on the driver's side in the median's embankment as stated in MSP News report.
Troopers Bianca Vargas and Matthew Higgins swiftly proceeded to help, finding the driver motionless in the water of the car's passenger side. With Trooper Grant Gadbois's help, they suppressed the fire, then worked together to free Mr. Woodward from the sinking car.
Two local bystanders helped move Mr. Woodward to a safer place on the embankment, where Troopers Vargas and Gadbois alternately conducted CPR until medical services arrived. Despite these efforts, Mr. Woodward was later pronounced deceased at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Taunton as stated in MSP News report.
The accident is still under investigation by several State Police departments, with preliminary findings showing that the burning BMW initially hit the right-side guardrail before swerving across three lanes and into the median, according to MSP News.
