A Rhode Island man is being held on $50,000 bail after he allegedly caused a massive crash on Interstate 95 in North Attleboro that ended up killing a 58-year-old Foxboro resident.
A judge set the cash bail during a hearing at Attleboro District Court in which Joseph Pompei Jr., 50, of Cranston, pleaded innocent to charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of an accident that caused personal injury or death, and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury.
Pompei is accused of driving a Buick Lacrosse on I-95 southbound around 4:15 p.m. Monday, when authorities allege he struck a Cadillac Escalade. The impact from the collision caused the SUV to veer off the road, through a median, before smashing head on into a Jaguar XJ traveling northbound, according to a police report.
Randall Ricketts, the driver of the Jaguar, died from his injuries at Attleboro’s Sturdy Memorial Hospital later Monday evening, and the driver of the Cadillac, a 61-year-old Rhode Island man, remains in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital.
Massachusetts State Police allege Pompei of fleeing the scene. A North Attleboro police officer spotted the damaged Buick, matching the description of the vehicle in the hit-and-run, at an apartment complex in Attleboro, where the suspect was arrested, the report states.
A state trooper at the complex took a pocket knife and a container of pills that had been inside the Buick, with Pompei telling officers he had prescribed medication for ADHD, according to the report.
Prosecutors during Tuesday’s bail hearing said Pompei had driven away after quickly pulling over into the median.
“Mr. Pompei got out of his vehicle where he made some sort of shrugging gesture, got back into his car and left the scene,” Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Eric DeMoura said, adding his claim is based on what witnesses had told police.
But the defense, Attleboro lawyer Amit Singh, alleged that another vehicle triggered Pompei to drive his sedan off the road and into the median before striking a tree.
“It’s a tragic incident and he completely denies he was involved in it,” he told reporters outside the courthouse.
Pompei would not be allowed to drive if he matches the $50,000 bail.
A 29-year-old woman and a child who had been passengers in the Cadillac that struck Ricketts’ vehicle also suffered injuries and are in stable condition.
The crash, which remains under investigation, closed a section of I-95 northbound near Exit 7 for several hours Monday evening.
Pompei is due to appear for a probable cause hearing at Attleboro District Court in October.