ATTLEBORO (AP) — Massachusetts State Police say two people have died in an early morning crash.
Troopers responded to Interstate 95 south in Attleboro at about 1:25 a.m. Thursday and found that a Kia Soul had rear ended a Hyundai GST with five occupants.
A rear seat passenger in the Hyundai, 23-year-old Maryori Conde, of Los Angeles, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The driver and sole occupant of the Kia, 28-year-old Sean St. Louis, of Providence, Rhode Island, died at the hospital.
Three other occupants of the Hyundai were also hospitalized. Their names were not released.
Police say the preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the Kia was speeding in the right travel lane when he lost control and swerved, rear ending the Hyundai in the middle lane.
LEOMINSTER (AP) — Authorities say a nurse at a Massachusetts hospital was assaulted by a 25-year-old patient after the nurse asked her to stop swearing.
Patient Leila Fabre allegedly knocked a nurse to the ground and punched her in the head and face multiple times on Jan. 10 at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital’s Leominster campus.
The Sentinel and Enterprise reports two staff members pulled Fabre off the nurse.
Court documents state Fabre punched one of the staff members in the arm. The hospital said Wednesday that it is cooperating fully with the police investigation.
Police Lt. Michael Ciccolini said he could not say Fabre was at the hospital.
Fabre has been ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. She is charged with multiple accounts of assault and battery.
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo is forming a special committee to investigate reports of inappropriate conduct during an orientation event for newly elected lawmakers.
The speaker’s office said in a statement that four members of the House reported that they had heard of the inappropriate conduct but did not have firsthand knowledge of the alleged incident and did not identify any individuals involved.
DeLeo declined to address the specific allegations Thursday but told reporters the House has a “comprehensive set of rules to deal with situations such as this.”
The event took place last month at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
The statement said the information was referred to an equal employment opportunity officer, Cynthia Farquhar, who is under contract with the House.
Farquhar later told House officials the allegation was “plausible.”
The Boston Globe first reported on the allegations.
AUBURN (AP) — Police say what was at first described as a live grenade at a Massachusetts recycling plant turned out to be a lighter.
The Massachusetts State Police bomb squad responded Thursday morning to Casella Recycling in Auburn to a report of a “live explosive device.”
Auburn police tweeted out the all clear just after 10 a.m. and said the device was a “butane lighter which had been designed to look like a live hand grenade.”
The plant was evacuated and people were told to avoid the area.
No injuries have been reported.
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts cellphone users can now text 9-1-1 for help.
The state 911 Department said in an announcement Wednesday that all emergency call centers now have the ability to receive a text.
Public Safety and Security Secretary Thomas Turco says the upgrade to the 911 system “will save lives.”
Officials say it will also help the deaf and hard of hearing, who previously relied on a text telephone system.
Sending a text to 911 works the same way as sending an ordinary message. Anyone who needs help should type “911” in the “to” or “recipient” field and then type their message in the message field.
People are encouraged to text 911 only when calling is not possible.