HATFIELD — A 5-mile section of Interstate 91 southbound between Whately and Northampton was closed Monday morning following a fatal crash in the highway median in Hatfield at around 6:25 a.m., according to Massachusetts State Police.
Troopers from the Northampton barracks were dispatched to the scene, where the driver of the vehicle, identified as a 30-year-old man by the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, died from his injuries.
According to the DA’s office, a preliminary investigation indicates that a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was traveling southbound on the highway in the area of mile marker 28.4 when it exited the road to the right, re-entered the road, exited again to the left, and crossed into the median and struck several trees.
An injured German shepherd dog was also found at the crash site, and is believed to have been in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Hatfield Animal Control responded and transported the dog for evaluation and care in South Deerfield.
The crash, with no other vehicles seeming to have been involved, remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section. Hatfield Fire and EMS also responded.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of the man’s death and confirm his identity, according to the DA’s office.
Because of the crash, vehicles traveling southbound were detoured onto Route 5 at Exit 32, with the highway closure causing significant backups as vehicles had to merge before the exit. That caused at least 20- to 25-minute delays during the morning commute.
Vehicles that exited onto Route 5 could only re-enter the highway at Exit 27 in Northampton, with an earlier entrance to the southbound lanes in Hatfield blocked off with orange cones.
By 11 a.m., the right lanes and exit ramps had reopened, though the left lane remained restricted, according to the state Department of Transportation. At 11:40 a.m., all lanes reopened and traffic was flowing normally.
