A tragic incident occurred on the night of Saturday, August 24, when a vehicle, reported stolen from a Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash that claimed the life of a 10-year-old child in Plainville, Massachusetts. WHDH reported that six members of the same family were hospitalized after their vehicle was struck by the stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford.
State police who responded to the crash near the intersection of Route 1 and Interstate 495 around 8:30 p.m. have disclosed that the family's Nissan Altima was rear-ended at a red light. The children and their parents were transported with serious injuries to multiple hospitals, and the young victim later succumbed to their injuries according to a statement obtained by NBC Boston. The driver, Escolas, was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence and now faces several charges including motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence.
The intersection was closed for hours while emergency services dealt with a crash involving five vehicles. "Seven ambulances were called to the scene," reported the NBC Boston coverage. Three seriously injured adults were taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, while the other injured children were taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital.
State police offered their condolences to the family and withheld their identities in the investigation's early stages. Authorities thanked the large number of agencies who responded, according to NBC Boston.
