Billerica girl killed in Stoneham crash
Published on November 3rd, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - A Billerica girl is dead, and a Stoneham teen has been charged with vehicular homicide following a fatal car crash on Franklin Street Halloween night.
Allison Bragg, 17, of Billerica was killed in the accident. She was sitting in the front passenger seat. Another passenger, Lindsey Mallon, 18, also of Billerica, remains at Lahey Clinic in Burlington. She was in the back seat.
The driver, Derek Richer, 19, of Stoneham remains at Mass General Hospital in Boston. In August Richer was arrested and charged with operating under the influence by Wakefield Police.
According to police, Richer sped away from Stoneham Police Officer Tony Kranefuss after the officer asked Richer for his license and registration during a traffic stop at the corner of Spencer Street and Franklin Street.
Four-tenths of a mile later around 1 a.m. on Nov. 1, the 1991 Toyota Corolla carrying Richer and his two passengers smashed head-on into a tree at the corner of Summer Street and Franklin Street.
According to police, Kranefuss first spotted the Corolla on Montvale Avenue. The officer was on patrol driving west when he saw the Corolla swerving over the center line heading east. The officer reversed direction and followed but did not engage the siren or lights. After Richer made an illegal right on red onto Main Street, Kranefuss put on his lights. He pulled Richer over and approached the Corolla on foot.
As Richer sped away east on Franklin Kranefuss ran back to his cruiser. But, according to police, seconds after Kranefuss started down Franklin Street, he saw sparks and heard a loud bang.
The fire department came to the scene. Later the State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit arrived.
According to the Reconstruction Unit's estimate, only 13 to 14 seconds elapsed between the time Richer sped away from Kranefuss and the crash.
Police Lt. Joseph DelRossi said Stoneham Police are investigating the accident. There were several potential witnesses at the scene. The survivors will also be interviewed; no one has spoken with Richer or Mallon yet, DelRossi said.
"There will be multiple charges against Richer, including vehicular homicide," DelRossi
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!