News

State Police identify 2 motorcyclists killed in crash inside O'Neill tunnel

BOSTON — Massachusetts State Police have identified the two motorcyclists who died in a crash inside the O'Neill Tunnel early Saturday morning.

Jerry Alphonse, 28 of Everett, and Aralt Cesaire, 26, of Medford were in a group of riders in the tunnel around 2:15 a.m. when they crashed, police said.

It's unclear how the crash happened, but the group was riding on Interstate 93 northbound through the tunnel when two of the riders lost control near Exit 23.

Police say two other riders stayed with the victims, who were pronounced dead on scene.

Traffic was backed up coming out of the tunnel, where police say a separate unrelated vehicle pursuit ended in a crash near exit 20 around 3 a.m. just outside the tunnel.

The crash is under investigation by officials from State Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. Speed is believed to be a factor.