20-year-old who died from injuries sustained in Bristol County crash is being remembered as services announced

A man who died after a recent multi-vehicle crash is being remembered.

According to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, on Tuesday, at approximately 6:15 p.m., Taunton police received multiple 911 calls regarding a serious motor vehicle crash in the area of 1070 Somerset Avenue in Taunton. Taunton Police and EMS responded.  Upon arrival police located three vehicles.  A 2018 gray Dodge Challenger with extensive front-end damage and two occupants was located along with a 2008 Gray Toyota Camry that contained one operator also with extensive front-end damage. 

All 3 occupants of these vehicles were transported for medical treatment.   

The driver of the Dodge Challenger was transported for life threatening injuries and was in critical condition. 20-year-old Richard Blanchette of Middleboro died as a result of those injuries.  Blanchette was later pronounced deceased at Boston Medical Center.

According to an obituary, RJ was an adventurous spirit who found “joy in driving and working on his beloved car, engaging in welding projects, and expressing his creativity through music on the guitar. He treasured time spent fishing, building model cars, and creating memories with his girlfriend, Adriana, and his devoted pets, his cat Jack and dog Lilly. RJ had a heart of gold and a generous nature, always prioritizing the needs of others before his own.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created for funeral expenses.

In addition to Blanchette, the operator of the Toyota Camry, an adult female, also suffered serious injuries and was in critical but stable condition as of Friday.

The passenger of the Dodge Challenger was transported to a local hospital for treatment. 

Police also located a gray 2021 Ram Pick-up Truck with driver’s side damage along the back end of the vehicle.  The driver of this vehicle was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. 

Visitation will be held for Blanchette at the Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home, located at 280 Bedford Street, Lakeville, MA, on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A funeral service will follow at 8:00 PM.

The investigation into this matter is ongoing and is being conducted by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office along with the Taunton Police Department.