Massachusetts man charged in Rhode Island crash that killed 22-year-old passenger

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that a Massachusetts man has been charged in Providence County Superior Court with multiple felony counts stemming from his role in a driving under the influence crash that killed a 22-year-old passenger and left another seriously injured on Route 146 on New Years Eve 2022.

On June 5, 2023, the Office of the Attorney General charged 25-year-old Christopher Vincent, of Watertown, Mass., by way of criminal information, with one count of DUI resulting in death, one count of DUI resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of driving to endanger resulting in death, one count of driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of possession of a controlled substance (10 grams or less).

As alleged in the criminal information, at approximately 2:29 a.m. on December 31, 2022, members of the Rhode Island State Police responded to a motor vehicle crash on Route 146 North at the intersection of Route 116 in Lincoln. It is alleged that Vincent was operating the vehicle, a 2016 black Acura, that drove into a crash attenuator positioned at the intersection.

As alleged in the criminal information, investigators determined that the front seat passenger, William Molloy, of Ashland, was ejected from the car through the windshield and was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital at 3:21 a.m. The rear seat passenger sustained a broken hip and several broken vertebrae. Rescue workers transported him to Rhode Island Hospital for his injuries.

As alleged, officers observed signs that Vincent was under the influence, including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and an odor of alcohol on his breath, Vincent refused to cooperate with field sobriety and chemical tests, and officers sought a search warrant for his blood to determine his blood alcohol content (BAC). After obtaining the warrant, Vincent’s blood was taken and he was determined to have a BAC of 158 mg/dl, nearly twice the legal limit, approximately three-and-a-half hours after the crash.

As further alleged, on January 4, 2023, RISP troopers obtained a warrant to search the vehicle and found 55.68g of ephedrine, 2.93g of cocaine, and multiple bottles of alcohol.

Vincent is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on August 11, 2023, in Providence County Superior Court.