Rhode Island State Police have arrested a motorist for his role in road rage incident that resulted in a fatal three vehicle crash on I-295 last week.
The crash happened on March 30 in Johnston around 10 a.m. Police say that 41 year old motorist Mitchell Savard was driving north on left lane of I-295 when he cut off a tow truck in the center lane. The tow truck driver sounded his horn in response. Savard reportedly brake checked the tow truck repeatedly, forcing the driver to slam on his brakes to avoid a crash. The tow truck driver was able to stop in time to avoid hitting Savard, but a box truck following the tow truck was not able to stop and crashed into the rear of the tow truck. The impact caused the tow truck to crash into Savard’s vehicle.
Said Rhode Island Stat Police Captain John Allen, “The front of that box truck is flat, so it didn’t have a hood. So when they hit the tow truck, they hit the vehicle that was on top of the tow truck. That pinned that flat edge further into the cab of the truck and I know both were trapped from the waist down.”
The two box truck occupants, 23 year old Erik Salazar and 23 year old Andy Salgado, were both seriously hurt in the crash. Salazar, who was driving the truck, later passed away in the hospital.
The tow truck driver, 28 year old Trevor Armstrong, suffered only minor injuries. Savard was not hurt in the crash.
Savard was arrested at his home earlier today and charged with driving to endanger, resulting in death, driving to endanger, resulting in personal injury, and driving to endanger, resulting in physical injury.