Rt 128 Crash Delays Traffic For Miles

January 22, 2011 6:32 PM

One of the cars involved in a crash on Rt 128 in Waltham Saturday. (credit: CBS)

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Crash, Delay, Route 128, State Police, Traffic, Waltham

WALTHAM (CBS) — Traffic was backed up on Route 128 in Waltham for several hours Saturday afternoon.

State police say there was an accident on the southbound side of the highway in the area of exit 27.

Both sides of the highway was shut down so MedFlight could land.

State police did not have immediate information about how many people or cars were involved, or what the extent of injuries were.

Jason

I was caught on the road about 200 yards behind the crash site. Four lanes were stuck in place for over an hour. People stopped their engines and stood in the road. Several ambulances and state police were on scene, and the MedFlight helicopter was on the ground for about 40 minutes. When we finally moved forwards, there were three vehicles in the crash — the sedan turned upside down in the middle of the road, an SUV with the windosw and top cut off above the doors, and another vehicle with a collapsed front end.

Don

This was an incredible event – funny how the news media treats this as just another accident. RT 128 Was entirely stopped in both directions. IT looked like carnage out there. This RUINED our day – we had an important appointment that was blown. At least it wasn’t life critical. If you were on the highway you could not Get off! I really think that the police and emergency people need to keep the traffic flowing – somehow – otherwise they can have a worse situation on their hands. Thanks you cbs for at least posting this article!

Mike

It “RUINED” your day? What do you suppose it did for the people involved? Especially the one(s) that had to be med-flighted! You were inconvenienced for a day. Those people have had their lives changed for much more than a day.
John

I agree with Mike. Very well said.
E.

Don….

Tragic day for the drivers of the Subaru and the Jeep. The woman who was driving the Subaru has been confirmed dead. According to other news outlets, neither of these vehicles was responsible in any way for the crash (that would go to the man in the grey Lexus pictured above)……just sickening AND pathetic that you were “late for your appointment” and so indignant when there is at least one death from this accident.
gtw

“……how the news media treats this as just another accident.” Don, read the last paragraph…. “State police did not have immediate information.” Also, when a med flight is involved all traffic has to be halted on both sides of the highway. The flight crew is in contact with fire and police personnel on the ground and they cannot land until given instruction to do so…. meaning that the personnel on the ground have checked for any obstructions that could prevent them from landing safely. If the emergency personnel are tending to all of this and to the victims, the last thing on their minds is to make sure people “get to important appointments.” Today is another day, you can reschedule your appointment…. today someone else is planning a funeral.
Trish

A friend of mine was killed in that accident. Sorry it ruined your day. This mom will not see her 2 sons or husband again. Hope you feel better now.
hornet

THIS A REPLY TO ALL REPLYS maybe people should WATCH were are they going while driving
J. C.

Me, me, me!

Let’s coherently think about this for a moment. One person died in the hospital, while the other one was in critical condition, they blocked the roads do that they could bring a helicopter down, and somehow you think they should’ve made room so that you could’ve gone by with your Mercedes?

It’s funny, like you said, “how the news media treats this as just another accident,” and it’s funny that it ruined your day because you missed your appointment. This ruined my day, not because I was late for my appointment, but because what I saw was so disturbing my heart went out to the victims and made me thank god that I could afford to be late for my appointment.

bill branch

Yah, and how many accidents like this are caused by “distracted drivers,” and we could hardly care less if their day was ruined. The Commonwealth’s anti-texting law is a joke, a whopping $100 fine and it’s not a moving violation. No one is enforcing it, and texters laugh at you. Let’s get real, I feel for everyone who’s inconvenienced by the accident, but for the person who caused the accident, and I doubt it was caused by mechanical failure, I say throw the book at them.
Yvonne Illich

We too were waiting for about two hours for this accident to be attended to. When we finally passed by and saw the cars I can tell you it was not a pretty sight. All of our best wishes and hopes need to be with the people who were hurt in this accident. Hopefully we can be updated on the condition of the victimes and realize all that there are many causes for accidents not for negligence of any drivers.
Nicole

WOW! That is very rude and self centered. I find it Ironic that YOU see this “just another accident” considering you describbed it as “carnage”. Have some respectful for the State police and Emergency personal who attented to the care of those who undoubtedly sustained “Critically injuries” thus necessitating those involved to be med-flighted . I’m sure if this accident had involved you or someone you care about you may have even have been thankful …..
E.

Other news outlets are reporting that there was at least one death. The person who apparently caused the accident (in the grey/taupe Lexus pictured above) apparently was the least injured (figures) and ran away from the Beth Israel emergency room before investigators could question him. He’s on the lam, apparently.

Tragic day for the drivers of the other two vehicles, including the woman who was driving the Subaru (she has been confirmed dead). According to other news outlets, neither of these vehicles was responsible in any way for the crash……just sickening….
Rich

I agree with Don. It’s terrible that someone was killed and when you have an accident if these proportions, perhaps the delay is justified. But all too often I have sat in traffic for a very long time only to come to the accident scene and see a fender bender. State Police need to get disabled cars off the road and keep traffic moving!

Josh

Keep traffic moving? Where would the helicopter land? What safe work area do you think is required when rubber-neckers veer into emergencey workers instead of watching the road? After you sit in traffic and come upon an incident, do you think that some of it has been cleared up by the time you get there? Crashed cars towed from the scene, other less damaged cars moved to the side of the road, the road swept of dangerous debris, and patients transported to the hospital. I hope that when you get into an accident, the focus is on you and your injuries and not keeping the traffic moving!

sarah

Just about two weeks ago there was a major accident on 95 in NH not sure if you all remember that but that too was a major back up. Well after reading the article here and seeing certain individuals reactions and the similarity between the two accidents it’s sickening. Have you ever thought that maybe one of the victims loved ones could be reading your comments, I was a friend reading the same rude comments of those who complained of incovience on 95 just last week, It’s heart wrenching enough to go through losing a friend who (was only 18) but to listen to others complain is aggravating. We take life for granted and we often don’t think but I understand it’s annoying to sit in traffic but next time what if that was your child? or a friend? Would you want to read peoples complaints about how it RUINED your day because frankly that accident may have ruined their life. THINK NEXT TIME
Waldo

Try seeing your friends car with a flat bed on top of it crushed half way in and knowing your friend was in that car while it was still burning RIP EDWARD LEE MA 03-20-87/07-31-10. Where was the news casters for that accident? Was it because it involved the infamous G&J towing company?
Cynic

A lot of the comments are encouraged by BZ’s choice of headline….Shouldn’t it have been ” One Dies In 128 Accident”Rather Than (Paraphrased) “Many inconvienced by 128 accident”?
Gail

WOW…. Someone dies and you blame the driver who caused it??? Has anyone concidered maybe “BLACK ICE” could have been a factor, un salted roads or something that no driver has controll of?? Throw the book at them? Maybe you should be in their shoes right now, this driver is now in prison for the rest of their life. Please don’t point fingers, send your prayers to the family who lost their Mother,wife,daughter,sister or aunt and mostof all pray for the person who is now trapped with this mess.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/01/23/police-searching-for-driver-behind-fatal-waltham-crash/ Police Searching For Driver Behind Fatal Waltham Crash « CBS Boston

[...] (CBS) – Police are looking for the man who set off a deadly chain reaction crash on Route 128 southbound on [...]
R.

I agree with Gail, someone sadly died in an accident and blame is automatically put on the driver who “may have” caused it. An accident is just that, an accident. Before people can start pointing fingers, they should know the facts. As of yet the public does not know everything that happened. All we have to go on is the new stations’ reports and how they want to portray the incident to the public and how they want us to see it. Cause for the accident can be from anything, we have just gone through several snow storms and freezing weather which make for black ice and unsafe road conditions. Early this morning there were two separate car accidents, where both cars flipped over and those inside were killed. One on the same road (128) in Danvers and one on 93, and they suspect weather as the cause. Where do people get off making accusations about what happened as if they were involved. No one knows what happened except for the driver. My heart goes out to everyone involved, especially to the family of the women who died and the man who is seriously injured.
NO FAULT

I totally disagree with R. ALL ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY A REASON. NOT JUST OOOPS. SOMEONE F__D UP LETS FACE IT. I am tired of people saying that accidents just happen THEY DONT SOMEONE CAUSES THEM.

Cynic

Minds like yours make the insurance companies $billions.Of course you will never be in an accident because you have complete control of everything that happens around you.Unfortunately the rest of us are mere mortals.
Mary

Yes, all accidents are OBVIOUSLY caused by a reason. But what I think R means is that they are an accident because they are not premeditated. People don’t get into their cars with the intent on getting into a car wreck, never mind being responsible for causing it. As of right now, no one knows if it was due to carelessness or something out of the driver’s control. It is ignorant to place the blame on someone before all the cards are laid on the table. Everything that people are saying is just speculation.

Patrick

One of my friends was stuck in the traffic waiting for the road to clear. It is so sad that this had to happen, but people still are not getting the message. As soon as traffic cleared everyone was back to their normal driving…going 20 mph over the speed limit, weaving in and out of lanes, and doing other stupid things behind the wheel. Are we ever going to learn from these tragic occurrences?? Everyone stuck in traffic saw a person being med-flighted to Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Critical condition…possibly DEAD at that time, and yet we still seem to continue as if nothing ever happened. So sad…..
Lisa

Hello all,
I was traveling in the North bond lane about 10-15 minutes after this accident. Traffic was still moving at this time and the ambulance had just left the scene, more than likely with Neil Connolly alive and well in side. When I approached the Subaru and the Jeep, with the fire truck parked in the north bond fast lane and a dozen or so firemen and EMT’s frantically trying to get to the drivers, my heart just sank for what I was seeing. It was a beautiful sunny but cold day. The road conditions were dry and clear and absolutely no black ice. I had just traveled south bond 1 hour prior. I prayed that everyone survived this accident and that no children were in these vehicles. It is a small inconvenience in our lives to sit in traffic while injured people are being cared for. My heart goes out to Fay who died in this accident. I’m sure the EMT/firefighters held her hand and she died with sweet and very dedicated people around her.I hope Ray will be ok. God bless them and their family’s.
Nancy

I was about 30 seconds behind this accident-horrific scene and tragic event. Voyeurism is a plague on this “culture” – people on rooftops and hanging out of car windows, cell phones poised and shooting still and video of all that they could grab with their media-Grousing and grumbling by many-it was observable as people sat in this terrible holding pattern-one woman casually walked over to the scene passing the cars, as if out for a mid-day stroll-I’m sure, “just to see for herself”-Seeing the Med Evac helicopter circling and landing on the highway, gave me such a wash of sadness and fear-for those who were the objects of this critical attention-watching it lift off and head east to the medical hub, had the same effect-And the voyeurs all folded up their electronics and drove off to their IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS, all the while phoning and texting about the awful scene, and, of course, putting themselves and all of us, at risk of a repeat of this disaster.
Michele Ferus Albert

I haven’t finished reading the comments, BUT –

This accident happened directly in front of me, with NO CARS IN BETWEEN, and I’m still a bit freaked out because it could have been myself or my husband or someone we love killed or injured for life.

I didn’t know there were TWO other vehicles involved until I read these articles. I thought it was the driver that flipped over who was killed.

All I can say is that my deepest sympathies go out to the families of the injured and deceased parties.