Massachusetts state police cruiser, car involved in head-on crash in Peabody

PEABODY, Mass. — A Massachusetts state police cruiser and a car were involved in a head-on collision in Peabody.

It happened overnight on Route 1.

According to officials, a trooper from Danvers observed the wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lane. The trooper took immediate action and notified fellow officers.

Officials then formulated a plan to stop other vehicles from entering the roadway to protect the public safe and stop the wrong way driver.

Minutes later, the wrong-way driver struck one of the responding troopers in his marked cruiser.

Both were both transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The wrong-way driver, Lucas Gustavo Brajak DeAlmeida Benedetto, 41, of Newburyport was released from the hospital and was charged with several offenses, including an OUI, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and driving the wrong way on a state highway.

“It’s awful considering this is a very busy road, there’s so many people coming and going,” Manuel Silveira, a Peabody resident, said. “It’s kinda nerve-wracking that it’s like two in less than a month.”

“The frequency now, you know, we’re starting to see a trend,” Todd McGhee, a retired Massachusetts State Police Trooper, said.

McGhee said in these types of situations, resources are crucial.

“It’s a matter of if you can shut off the roadway of oncoming traffic from onramps... we know that these roadway speeds can be 65 miles per hour and above so you can eat up a lot of roadway very, very quickly which again lends to seconds to make decisions,” McGhee said.

“We should be thankful for them because they’re out there putting their families at risk and themselves and putting themselves in harm’s way,” Silveira said.

Benedetto is expected to be arraigned Monday in Peabody District Court.

The crash coming just less than two months after the fatal head-on collision involving State Trooper Kevin Trainor in Lynnfield.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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