An SUV stolen from a Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium rear-ended a car in Plainville, Massachusetts, killing a 10-year-old child and injuring five other members of their family Saturday night, police said.
The driver is facing charges including motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office said Sunday. Michael Escolas was due in Wrentham District Court Monday; he’s being held on $25,000 cash bail.
Massachusetts State Police responded to the crash near the intersection of Route 1 and Interstate 495 about 8:30 p.m.
According to police and prosecutors, Escolas, a 42-year-old from Oxford, was speeding south down Route 1 in a Vermont couple’s Jeep Grand Cherokee that was stolen from the Gillette Stadium parking lot.
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Escolas allegedly rear-ended a Nissan Altima occupied by a couple and their four children at a red light. They were all transported to hospitals with serious injuries; the 10-year-old was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.
According to police, Escolas was arrested for allegedly operating under the influence and taken to a nearby hospital. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to his arrest.
Authorities say they were working the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium before responding to the scene.
Five vehicles in total were damaged in the crash, which closed down the intersection for a few hours before being reopened.
The critically hurt child was rushed to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleborough, according to the Plainville Fire Department, and the other children were taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Three seriously injured adults were taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.
Seven ambulances were called to the scene, fire officials said.
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.
The crash remained under investigation Sunday.
