Plymouth family devastated after father killed, two children seriously injured in highway crash, wife issues tribute to husband

A community is coming together to help a family after a husband was killed and two children seriously injured in a highway crash.

According to Massachusetts State Police, at just after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Massachusetts State Police Troopers responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on Route 3 southbound in Plymouth that resulted in the death of the operator of the vehicle.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a 2015 Nissan Rogue was southbound on Route 3 near the 10.6 mile marker. For reasons still to be determined, the Nissan went off the left side of the roadway and landed on it’s roof in the Eel River. Arriving Troopers and EMS worked quickly to extricate the vehicle’s occupants.

The operator, 50-year-old Daniel Zilinski of Plymouth was transported via MedFlight to a Boston medical facility where he was pronounced deceased. Two juvenile passengers in the vehicle; his 13-year-old daughter, and 11-year-old son, suffered serious injuries in the crash and remain hospitalized.

A GoFundMe fundraiser released a statement by Daniel’s wife issuing an update.

“As many of you know from the news reports or others, my husband and my children were involved in a horrific car accident on Friday in Plymouth. My children were brought to Boston at two separate hospitals for emergency care, and my husband was med flighted to The Brigham. Despite heroic efforts by his care team, he did not survive. My children have some fracturs, bumps and bruises, but will be ok, thank God for that. They are currently together at Boston Children’s in Longwood by some very caring doctors who orchestrated them being able to be together in the trauma unit. To say we are beyond devasted is an understatement. Dan was one of the kindest, most loving people I ever knew, loved me and his kids more than anything, and was my rock and my best friend. I don’t know what we will do without him, but we have a lot of support from everyone. Thank you to everyone that has reached out via text or email, it is greatly appreciated. I am exhausted and cannot answer all of them, but know that I feel your love. Please send us all of your prayers for peace in the days ahead.” Jen Zilinski

The crash remains under investigation by Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and the Plymouth County State Police Detective Unit. Troopers were assisted by Plymouth Fire and EMS, Plymouth PD, and MassDOT.