BOSTON — For more than two years, the Massachusetts State Police maintained that a head-on collision involving a sergeant was the result of a “medical incident” behind the wheel. That conclusion, according to a statewide grand jury, was dead wrong.
State Police Sgt. Scott Quigley, 41, of Woburn, was indicted Thursday on a charge of felony motor vehicle homicide. Prosecutors allege that Quigley was not only driving negligently but was under the influence of alcohol when his unmarked cruiser veered into a wheelchair transport van on Lexington Street in Woburn.
The December 12, 2023, crash claimed the life of 37-year-old Angelo Schettino. Schettino, who had developmental challenges and used a wheelchair, was being transported back to his group home in Lynn at the time of the impact. He died 31 days later from his injuries, according to the State Medical Examiner.
Attorney Michael Mahoney, who represents the Schettino family, says the revelation of alcohol involvement comes as a bitter shock after years of being told the crash was an unavoidable accident.
“I’ll tell you, it shouldn’t take two years for a grieving mother to finally get the truth,” Mahoney said.
According to Mahoney, Quigley’s blood was drawn within an hour of the crash and that was hidden from the public and the victim’s family. The results allegedly showed Quigley was more than one and a half times the legal limit for alcohol.
A court filing from the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office alleges Quigley had been drinking at a Woburn restaurant with at least one other trooper shortly before getting behind the wheel at 5 p.m.
Body camera footage obtained by 25 Investigates suggests that members of the MSP, including a high-ranking supervisor, visited Quigley at Lahey Hospital, where he was transported by ambulance after the crash. There is no mention of the hospital visits or Quigley’s demeanor that night in any of the official reports.
The fallout from the indictment is expected to extend beyond Quigley. Mahoney suggests that the “medical emergency” was a coordinated effort by department superiors to protect one of their own.
“We have information that he was not drinking alone and that some of his superiors might have been with him,” Mahoney said. “Those same superiors might have been the ones checking off saying that he had a medical emergency.”
Questions about the crash began to surface in an unrelated murder trial in Lowell. Because Quigley was the lead investigator on that case, Middlesex County prosecutors are required to disclose any issues impacting his credibility.
In Massachusetts, a conviction for felony motor vehicle homicide carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison, with a mandatory minimum of one year that must be served.
In a statement, Quigley’s attorney Christina Pujals Ronan wrote, “We expected the indictment. It changes nothing. Sgt. Quigley looks forward to his day in court.”
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble also issued a statement about the indictment, saying:
“The Massachusetts State Police will not tolerate the disturbing misconduct alleged in today’s indictment. We will continue to cooperate with the criminal justice process, and do everything we can to protect the integrity of the Department, the reputation of the many Troopers who serve honorably, and the public’s trust, which is essential to our mission.” Adding: “I expect and demand that our members understand their responsibility to act with the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and respect for the law. Anything short of that standard will be met with a thorough investigation and meaningful accountability.”
Quigley went out injured for eight months following the crash, is expected to make his first court appearance in Middlesex Superior Court in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, multiple investigations remain active to determine exactly who within the State Police knew about Quigley’s hospital records.
“He’s not the only person that’s gonna be punished for this,” Mahoney said.
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