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Franklin mother with Fall River ties dies from injuries sustained in crash that also killed young daughter

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Minaben and Krisha Patel

A vigil is being held for a Massachusetts mother who died Monday from injuries sustained in a fatal two-vehicle crash on Grove Street in Franklin that also claimed the life of her 5-year-old daughter

The vigil will be held for Minaben Patel at the crash site at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, the same location where a vigil was held for Krisha Patel last Wednesday.

According to Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Police Chief Thomas Lynch, the girl was a passenger in a car involved in a collision with a pickup truck at approximately 6:22 p.m. a week ago Saturday in the area of 76 Grove Street.

She was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.

Her brother and mother, both passengers in the car, were hospitalized before Minaben succumbed to her injuries. The father, who was driving the car, was released from the hospital after treatment.

The Patel’s have family members in Fall River.

“The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and the Franklin Police Department are saddened by the loss to Minaben’s family and we extend our heartfelt condolences,” District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch said today.

The driver of the pickup truck, James N. Blanchard, 21, of Franklin, was arrested.

He was arraigned a week ago Tuesday on charges of motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol, three counts of operating under the influence of alcohol and causing serious bodily injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol, and a marked lanes violation.

According to NBC 10 Boston, the family was travelling to Blackstone for the son’s birthday. The father told investigators that he saw the pickup in his lane and tried to swerve to avoid it but could not. Officers smelled alcohol on Blanchard, noticed he was slurring his words, and found two handles of vodka and beer inside the car.

According to court records, Blanchard pled not guilty and was held on $250,000 cash bail. He has a pretrial hearing scheduled for the end of June.

The crash remains under investigation by Franklin Police, the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.

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