Victims identified in fatal wrong-way, head-on crash in Lawrence

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Two people have died after a wrong-way driver caused a head-on crash, according to Massachusetts State Police.

State Police say a 38-year-old woman, identified as Lawrence native Jyllian McGonagle, was driving south on I-495 in Lawrence just before noon Wednesday when she crossed the median into the northbound lane. Police say the woman sideswiped a truck driven by a 59-year-old Dracut man, who was not injured.

McGonagle then struck a Honda Pilot head-on that was being driven by a 55-year-old woman with a 56-year-old male passenger. The man, identified as Lawrence native Nelson Rivera, was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Police say the McGonagle then hit a Toyota RAV4 driven by a 58-year-old woman with a 27-year-old female passenger. Both were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

McGonagle was pronounced dead at the scene.

All lanes of I-495 were closed to traffic as police investigated. Roads reopened just before 3 p.m.

The crash remains under investigation.

Cox Media Group