Tallahassee, FL : Dad high with his daughter in the car when he crashed into tractor-trailer on Saturday, 29th October 2016
A 30-year-old father, with his 6-year-old daughter in the back seat, is charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, reckless endangerment of a child causing bodily injury and driving through a red light, Police Chief George McNeil said of the horrific accident with a tractor-trailer Friday night on Route 6.
McNeil alleged the driver “admitted to taking drugs prior to the accident,” and he identified those drugs as heroin and cocaine.
He identified the charged driver as Matthew Leonardo, 30, of Somerset, who was transported by Somerset rescue to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence with what McNeil said were “serious facial injuries.”
He was listed in “good condition” Saturday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Leonardo’s daughter was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence by Swansea rescue on mutual aid for observation and treatment of any possible injuries. McNeil was uncertain Saturday night what injuries the girl might have suffered.
He said police issued multiple charges of reckless endangerment of a child because a third vehicle with children may have been struck subsequent to the initial collision just before 7 p.m. Friday.
The crash remains under investigation
McNeil said the car was driving south on Lees River Avenue through a red signal light onto the Route 6 intersection and crashed under the rear portion of the tractor-trailer heading east.
The car appeared to be headed through the intersection, and McNeil said the driver might have fallen asleep.
When extracted by rescue crews, McNeil, who responded to the crash, said the girl appeared to be in the back seat and because of the heavy damage to the car authorities were uncertain if she was belted into a child seat.
He said Officer Donald Cormier, who is a drug recognition expert, questioned Leonardo at Rhode Island Hospital. He said Cormier read the injured man his Miranda rights prior to his allegedly admitting to taking drugs inside his vehicle.
Police discovered drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle that has not yet been identified, McNeil said. He said Leonardo is known to several of his officers.
He identified the driver of the tractor-trailer driver as Benjamin Fowler, 45, of Jacksonville, Florida. He was driving for Jacobson Transportation handling the transport for Silver Line Windows, the name across the 18-wheeler.
The tractor-trailer actually dragged the car 500 to 600 feet eastbound toward Fall River because the driver did not realize immediately he had been struck in the rear, McNeil said. He thought he’d blown a tire.
When towed by Big Wheels in East Freetown, after a crane lifted it off the car, the tractor-trailer was fully loaded, according to the tow company, McNeil said. Silver Line is owned by Andersen Windows, according to its website.
Fowler was not charged with any infraction as witnesses told police they saw the car go through the light at Lees River Road, McNeil said.
“He was pretty shaken up,” McNeil said of the tractor-trailer driver, who was not injured.
Because of the severity of Leonardo’s injuries, McNeil said he did not know when he’d be arraigned on the charges.
Other officers responding to the accident included Sgt. Todd Costa and Officer Matthew Lima.
Source :
Dad high with his daughter in the car when he crashed into tractor-trailer