Fall River woman killed, another seriously injured in Sunday highway crash

A Fall River woman has tragically lost her life in a weekend car crash.

New Bedford Police and Massachusetts State Police are investigating a fatal one-car crash, which occurred in the City of New Bedford early Sunday morning.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, New Bedford Police responded to 911 calls at 2 a.m. regarding a motor vehicle crash on Route 18, near the intersection with Walnut Street.

When first responders arrived on scene, they found a 2009 Honda Civic in the southbound lanes of travel with significant passenger side damage.

The driver of the vehicle, a 21-year-old Dartmouth woman sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where she remains in serious but stable condition.

The front seat passenger in the vehicle, later identified as Tierrah Martinez, 20, of Fall River was declared deceased at the scene of the crash.

A preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling north when the vehicle veered off the roadway, mounted the media and struck a cobblestone planter.

Tierrah’s aunt stated that she “was an amazing young lady and had her whole life ahead of her. She was talented in so many ways.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for Tierrah’s funeral expenses and had raised over $11,000 as of this writing.

The investigation into this incident remains active and ongoing at this time, according to Miliote.