By Raul Castillo
Dec 27, 2023, 18:31 PM EST
Christmas Eve turned tragic in Somerset, Massachusetts, when a 73-year-old man, Floriano Arruda, and his 15-year-old grandson, Jacoby Arruda, lost their lives in a devastating crash on the U.S. Route 6 Veterans Memorial Bridge. The grandmother, Donna Arruda, 68, suffered serious injuries and remains in critical condition in a hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
The fatal incident took place shortly after 11:00 pm on Monday, when a 2023 Land Rover, registered in New York, was traveling in the wrong direction in the westbound lanes of the bridge, colliding head-on with a 2014 Infiniti QX50 in where the victims were.
Two women traveling in a 2019 Honda Accord were also injured, although fortunately their lives are not in danger, according to NBC News.
Authorities identified the driver of the Land Rover as Adam Gauthier, a 41-year-old man from New York City. Gauthier was initially treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a Providence hospital, where state police kept him under surveillance.
Bristol County, Massachusetts District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III expressed his regret, commenting: “This is a terrible tragedy, especially when it occurred on Christmas night. “My heart goes out to the terrible loss of the victims and their families.”
They identified the victims
The victims, residents of Seekonk, Massachusetts, a town outside Providence, were identified as Floriano Arruda, Donna Arruda and Jacoby Arruda. The teenager, NBC News reported, was pronounced dead Monday night at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts, while his grandfather died Tuesday morning at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.
The man who was driving drunk faces serious charges, including involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol, vehicular manslaughter under the influence of alcohol, driving while intoxicated with serious injury, reckless driving and driving the wrong way on a highway.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9, following his arraignment Tuesday at Saint Luke’s Memorial Hospital in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he was held on $100,000 bail.
Tragedies at Christmas
This is just one of several similar tragedies that occurred on Christmas. In a case that also involved a car accident, a crash in New York ended with a stabbing fight in the middle of Christmas in Queens.
While in Florida, a teenager shot and killed his sister over an argument over Christmas gifts.
With information from NBC News.
Keep reading:
- Florida woman spends Christmas Eve in jail for hitting couple with Christmas tree
- Clash ends with stab fight in the middle of Christmas in Queens: wild New York
- Christmas tragedy: Florida teenager shoots and kills his sister over an argument over Christmas gifts