SEEKONK, MA – Police have arrested the Fall River man they say caused a crash that killed an elderly woman in Hopkinton, RI last October, according to the Fall River Reporter.
Authorities had been searching for Keith Brown, 34, since he failed to appear in court in early December.
They say that Brown was under the influence of drugs when he collided head-on with a Jeep Cherokee at 169 Spring Street/Route 138 on October 31, 2021.
A passenger in the Jeep, 88-year-old Elisabeth Thayer, died at the scene. Her daughter, 57-year-old Alexandrea Martino, was behind the wheel at the time of the crash, and was taken to RI Hospital with internal injuries.
Brown suffered arm, leg, and rib injuries serious enough to warrant a month-long hospitalization. A passenger in his 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe was less seriously hurt.
Investigators subsequently determined that Brown had caused the collision when he strayed into oncoming traffic, while a toxicology test conducted at the hospital found Fentanyl and Methadone in his blood. A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of Driving Under the Influence, Death Resulting, Driving as to Endanger, Death Resulting, and Driving as to Endanger, Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
However, he failed to appear in court, and was subsequently put on Rhode Island’s Most Wanted list.
The Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force eventually caught up with Brown at the Quality Inn in Seekonk and took him into custody yesterday morning.
He is being held without bail, and is scheduled to appear in court on February 14.
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a collision caused by an intoxicated driver, you deserve justice and compensation. Contact the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini today to find out how our Seekonk drugged driving accident lawyers can help you pursue it. Our South Coast offices can be reached by phone at (508) 336-0500 or through our online contact form.