Massachusetts State Police Friday afternoon identified the man killed in Thursday afternoon’s crash on Interstate 495 as Rafael J. Sandoval, 24, of Lawrence.
Police said they still are not sure whether Sandoval was the operator or passenger of a 2015 Honda Accord involved in the crash. State police from the Andover barracks reported responding just after 5:30 p.m. to reports of a crash along the highway’s southbound lanes, north of exit 46. Besides state police troopers, Methuen Police, Fire and EMS responded to the scene along with members of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
“One person involved in the crash was determined deceased at the scene. Several other persons involved were transported to area hospitals,” state police said in a statement.
Preliminary investigation by the Massachusetts State Police and State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section indicates “the Accord was traveling southbound on Route 495 when, for reasons still under investigation, it veered into the breakdown lane. The operator tried to turn back toward the travel lanes but could not do so completely, striking a flat bed tow truck in the breakdown lane that had a car on its bed. The Honda then struck an Acura TL that was traveling in the right lane.”
An investigation revealed the crash involved four vehicles. Besides the Honda Accord, state police said the vehicles were a 2004 Acura Sedan, operated by a 21-year-old Lawrence man; a 2010 Kenworth flatbed tow truck, operated by a 46-year-old Salem, N.H., man; and a 2012 Ford Focus that was being transported on the tow truck; and a 2015 Honda Accord.