WOBURN, Mass. — More than two years after a collision claimed the life of a Saugus man, the Massachusetts State Trooper allegedly responsible stood before a judge for the first time Tuesday afternoon.
MSP Homicide Detective Sgt. Scott Quigley pleaded not guilty in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn to a charge of felony motor vehicle homicide.
The arraignment comes amid questions over how the Massachusetts State Police handled the December 2023 crash investigation and whether the agency shielded one of its own from accountability.
The victim, Angelo Schettino, was traveling in a transport van when Quigley’s unmarked cruiser veered out of its lane and struck the van head-on in Woburn, according to police reports.
Schettino, who lived with disabilities, died from his injuries a month later.
“My son was, he was handicapped. He was in a wheelchair,” his mother, Lynn Schettino said outside the hearing.
For years, the State Police maintained the crash was the result of Quigley having a medical emergency behind the wheel. It wasn’t until the family filed a civil lawsuit that a different story began to emerge.
Court documents from a murder case Quigley investigated in Lowell allege that his blood alcohol content was 0.114 or nearly one and a half times the legal limit, when he was tested at Lahey Hospital immediately following the crash.
It’s also been alleged that Quigley had been drinking with another Trooper at a restaurant in Woburn shortly before the collision.
The family’s attorney, Michael Mahoney, expressed outrage over the timeline, suggesting that supervisors within the department were aware of the evidence long before charges were filed.
“What’s really concerning here is that there were supervisors that were signing off on this every time that we would send out a letter,” Mahoney said.
“They would say that it was under investigation... and the whole time they had all of Quigley’s medical records.”
Quigley’s defense attorney, Christina Pujals Ronan from the Yannetti Law Firm, vehemently denied any conspiracy to hide the facts. She argued that the toxicology results were based on a “single rapid blood test” and questioned its accuracy.
“For nearly two years, this man (Quigley) believed that this accident only resulted in minor injuries,” Ronan said.
“The first time he hears that there’s a death involved with Mr. Angelo Schettino was when he was informed of a civil lawsuit.”
When asked by Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel as to why it took over 28 months for charges to be brought against a driver who allegedly tested over the legal limit, Ronan declined to comment, stating, “I’m not going to answer that question at this time.”
Quigley was released without bail following his plea. While the criminal case moves forward, he remains suspended from the Massachusetts State Police without pay.
“We always have faith in our justice system,” Lynn Schettino said, “But, with everything that’s happening everywhere, how can we?”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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