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Mass. State Trooper, 3 Others Injured In Crash

PALMER (CBS/AP) -- Massachusetts State Police say a trooper and three others have been injured in an accident allegedly caused by a driver cited for having an open container of alcohol.

Trooper Steven Larocco of the Northampton barracks was taken to Baystate Medical Center after his stopped cruiser was hit from behind Sunday morning. He had pulled up behind a vehicle stopped on the Turnpike in Palmer.

A hospital spokeswoman says he was treated and released.

State police spokesman Dave Procopio said the trooper is lucky to be alive. "He was in the cruiser, which was another stroke of good fortune. Had he been outside, between the cruiser and the vehicle in front of him, this very well could have been a tragedy."

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WBZ News Radio's Doug Cope reports.

Police cited 40-year-old Robert Murangi of Federal Way, Wash., for failure to take care in stopping and having an open container of alcohol. He was not injured but two passengers were.

It was not known if Murangi was represented by a lawyer.

Police say the driver of the stopped vehicle was taken to Baystate Medical Center with minor injuries.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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