READSBORO, Vt. — A Readsboro teen died Saturday night after being struck by a snowmobile during a party on private property about a mile off Route 100.
The office of the state's attorney is investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident that lead to the death of 18-year-old Jessica Bolognani. The accident was reported at about 10:30 p.m.
According to state police, Bolognani was riding on the back of a 2009 Polaris snowmobile operated by a Richard Bernard, 20, of Whitingham when she fell and was hit by a second snowmobile that was following, a 2001 Polaris being operated by 21-year-old Clinton Birch of Readsboro.
Bolognani was wearing a helmet but sustained a serious head injury and died of her injuries before she arrived at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington. She was pronounced dead by the regional medical examiner's office.
A group of young adults were at the camp when Bernard, Bolognani and Birch left the camp to go snowmobiling, said police, and alcohol was involved.
Bennington County State's Attorney Erica Marthage ordered an autopsy on Bolognani by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Burlington on Monday.
The investigation into the incident is continuing; anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Mike Marvin or Trooper Travis Hess at the state police barracks in Shaftsbury at 802-442-5421.
Bolognani was a star athlete who graduated from Twin Valley High School in Wilmington in June. She was majoring in health sciences at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Both college and high school classmates recalled a friendly, helpful, generous young woman on a Facebook page dedicated to her. "The whole entire town is in total devastation, she was adored by all," wrote one longtime family friend.
WEST STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — State police are reporting a fatal accident occurred late this morning at the 1-mile marker on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Added Jan. 1: The driver was Elizabeth McKee, 53, of Rock Creek, N.Y.
The state police barracks in Weston responded to the one-car crash in the eastbound lane at about 10:42 a.m.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Edward Ashman indicated the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree in the median, resulting in fatal injuries to the operator, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Responding emergency medical personnel pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
The crash is under investigation with the assistance of the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction and the Crime Scene Services sections. Troopers were additionally assisted at the scene by the West Stockbridge Fire Department.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A two-vehicle crash near Cumberland Farms on Monday, Dec. 28, sent residents to the hospital.
Police said Jonathon P. Murphy, 50, of Harrison Avenue pulled out of a Main Street business without stopping at about 1:38 p.m. His 2002 Chevrolet pickup collided with a 2008 Ford sedan operated by Kimberly D. Scott, 22, of North Hoosac Road.
Scott and a passenger were transported to North Adams Regional Hospital by Village Ambulance Service. Both vehicles sustained significant damage and were removed from the scene by Ron's Auto Repair.
Murphy was issued a citation for negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
ADAMS, Mass. — A head-on collision between a pickup and a car on Howland Avenue in front of the Dugout Motel at about 2:22 p.m. sent an eldery woman to the hospital.
Maryann Dilego, 71, of 100 Howland Ave. was taken to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield by Adams Ambulance Service after the red 2002 Hyundai Accent she was driving collided with a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck driven by Gary Mazzantini, 50, of 1690 Windsor Road, Cheshire. No further information was provided in the police report.
Mazzantini reportedly refused treatment at the scene. Howland Avenue (Route 8) was closed to traffic from Hodges Cross Road in North Adams to Lime Street for a time. The state police accident reconstruction team was called to the scene and the accident is still under investigation.
There was a persistent rumor that someone was killed in the accident but police confirmed on Tuesday that there were no fatalities.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Hoosac Valley High School teen was seriously injured Wednesday night in a one-car accident that closed Routes 2 & 7 for three hours.
Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate Nicholas Morey, 17, of East Road from his 1995 Jeep Cherokee after it landed in Hemlock Brook. He was taken to Berkshire Medical Center by Village Ambulance with leg and head injuries. A Life Flight helicopter from Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center was contacted but could not fly because of the weather conditions.
Morey was on his way home after competing in a wrestling match at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington as a member of the Mount Greylock Regional High School's cooperative wrestling team. Buses had returned the team to Mount Greylock, from which Morey took his own car home.
Police received 911 calls beginning at 9:12 p.m. that the Jeep had veered off the road, over the guardrails and into the brook just south of Coyote Flaco.
Traffic was rerouted at the Five Corners intersection and Field Park until 12:30 a.m. while the state police accident reconstruction team investigated the accident and the vehicle was pulled from the brook.
Williamstown Police were also assisted at the scene by members of the North Adams Police.
Update on Dec. 18: The investigation into Morey's accident on Dec. 16 was completed. As a result, he was issued a citation for a marked-lanes violation. Speed and alcohol were not contributing factors in the crash.
READSBORO, Vt. — A Readsboro teen died Saturday night after being struck by a snowmobile during a party on private property about a mile off Route 100.
