A New York City man has been indicted on five charges in connection with a Christmas night crash that claimed the lives of a local teen and his grandparents in Somerset, Massachusetts.
Adam Gauthier, 41, a former Somerset resident, is accused of driving drunk the wrong way on the Somerset side of the Veteran's Memorial Bridge just after 11 p.m. on Christmas when he hit two vehicles, including an SUV carrying three members of the Arruda family from Seekonk. Floriano Arruda, 73, and his 15-year-old grandson Jacoby Arruda died at the scene, while Floriano's wife, 68-year-old Donna Arruda, died days later at Rhode Island Hospital, authorities have said. Two others in another vehicle were also injured in the crash.
Gauthier was indicted Friday by a Bristol County Grand Jury on three counts of motor vehicle manslaughter while operating under the influence and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the Bristol District Attorney's Office said.
He had previously been arrested on manslaughter and drunken driving charges, but the indictment moves the case to superior court, where he will be arraigned at a later date. He is being held at the Dartmouth House of Corrections on $100,000 bail.
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At his arraignment in district court, Gauthier's lawyer argued that the bridge was foggy on the night of the crash. But prosecutors said Gauthier failed several field sobriety tests and admitted to officers he'd drunken alcohol and probably should not have been behind the wheel.
