New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Adam Gauthier, the 41-year-old New York City resident arrested on charges related to a late Christmas night motor vehicle triple-fatality on the Somerset side of the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Fall River District Court on the two newest charges filed in connection to the December 29th death of Donna Arruda.
After Mrs. Arruda’s death, new charges of Manslaughter while Operating Under the Influence and Motor Vehicle Homicide-OUI Liquor were filed.
The defendant is already being held on $100,000 cash bail after being arraigned from his hospital bed on December 26 on charges of two counts of Manslaughter while Operating Under the Influence, two counts of Motor Vehicle Homicide-OUI Liquor, and one count each of OUI-Liquor with Serious Bodily Injury, Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Driving the Wrong Way on a State Highway.
The defendant, formerly of Somerset, was arrested shortly after the 11 pm Christmas night crash.
After being arrested, he was transported to Saint Luke’s Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been discharged and is currently being held at the Dartmouth House of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catherine Sauter.
Massachusetts State Police of the Dartmouth Barracks received an emergency call at 11 pm Christmas night regarding a collision on the bridge involving a wrong way operator.
The preliminary investigation has revealed that the defendant was driving a Range Rover eastbound in the westbound lane on Route 6 while crossing the bridge. While on the bridge, the defendant’s vehicle struck an Infiniti SUV head on.
The Infiniti was being operated by Floriano Arruda, 73, of Seekonk. Mr. Arruda’s wife, Donna Arruda, 68, also of Seekonk was in the front passenger seat and his 15-year-old grandson, Jacoby Arruda, also of Seekonk, was in the rear of the vehicle.
All three of the Arrudas were rushed to area hospitals. Jacoby Arruda was pronounced deceased On Christmas night at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, Floriano Arruda was pronounced deceased on the morning of December 26th at Rhode Island Hospital and Donna Arruda died at Rhode Island Hospital on December 29th.
Beyond the two initial vehicles involved in the crash was a third vehicle that also sustained front end damage during the incident. The driver and front seat passenger of the third vehicle sustained minor injuries and were treated at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time and is now the subject of a criminal prosecution. No further information can be disseminated. The probe will be conducted by Homicide Unit prosecutors, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to DA Quinn’s office, State Police-Dartmouth Barracks and State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.”
