Peabody, MA – A wrong-way crash on Route 1 early Sunday morning injured two drivers, including a Massachusetts State Police trooper.
The incident occurred just before 2 a.m. near Exit 30, according to Massachusetts State Police. The trooper, who has not been publicly identified, was involved in the crash with 41-year-old Lucas Gustavo Brajak DeAlmeida Benedetto of Newburyport.
Both individuals were transported to the hospital but have since been released. Benedetto faces multiple charges, including Operating Under the Influence (OUI) and negligent driving, and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Authorities said the trooper demonstrated “unwavering courage” during the incident, placing himself in harm's way to protect others. The crash comes just weeks after the fatal accident of Trooper Kevin Trainor, who was killed in a similar situation on Route 1.
Witnesses reported that the two troopers were academy classmates and close friends. Jessica Ostrowski, Trainor's fiancée, expressed the emotional toll of the recent events and emphasized the need for increased public awareness regarding wrong-way driving.
The State Police Association of Massachusetts noted the ongoing legislative push to enhance measures that would prevent wrong-way driving incidents. Current bills aim to implement alert systems for drivers and law enforcement to mitigate such risks.
As investigations continue, the affected lanes on Route 1 have since been reopened. No fatalities were reported in this incident.