Police: Wrong-way driver causes fatal crash on Lowell Connector
LOWELL — A wrong-way crash on the Lowell Connector early Wednesday morning left one person dead and another facing several charges, including drunk driving.
State Police said Derek Witzenman, 29, of Woburn, was driving outbound in the inbound lanes near Exit 5A shortly after 1:15 a.m. when the collision involving another vehicle occurred.
According to police, first responders transported the driver and passenger of the second vehicle to Lowell General Hospital. Both were then airlifted by medical helicopter to a Boston-area hospital for further treatment. Police said that the driver died from their injuries.
The identity of the person killed has not been released, pending notification of the family.
“The State Police offers our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim,” police said in a press release about the wreck.
Witzenman was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and several other charges. He is expected to be arraigned in Lowell District Court on Wednesday.
The crash remain under investigation by the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the Crime Scene Services Section, and the Middlesex State Police Detective Unit.
The crash required authorities to close all inbound travel lanes near Exit 5A until 4 a.m.
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This is a developing story.
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