Latest news with #Meade
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mother of 5-year-old girl killed in Franklin crash by accused drunk driver has also died, DA says
A vigil is planned for the mother of a 5-year-old girl killed in a crash by an accused drunk driver in Franklin over Memorial Day weekend who has also died. Minaben Patel, 38, of Franklin, has died days after the May 24 crash that killed her daughter, Krisha Patel, 5, according to the district attorney and a Facebook post by the SAFE Coalition on Tuesday afternoon. 'The Norfolk District Attorney's Office and the Franklin Police Department are saddened by the loss to Minaben's family and we extend our heartfelt condolences,' Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch said in a statement Tuesday. A vigil for Minaben Patel is planned for 6 p.m. Thursday at the crash site on Grove Street in Franklin, The SAFE Coalition, a Franklin-based nonprofit group, said in its Facebook post. Another vigil was held for her daughter, Krisha Patel, at the site last Wednesday. 'We would like to share, through the families wishes, that Minaben Patel, mother of sweet Krisha, has passed away,' the SAFE Coalition said in its post. 'Minaben's family is again deeply thankful for all the love and support shared over the last week,' the group said. 'They invite the community to honor this amazing Mother, Wife, Family Member and friend this Thursday for a service of remembrance.' The driver accused in the fatal crash, James Blanchard, 21, of Franklin, was ordered held on $250,000 cash bail following his arraignment on May 27. A not guilty plea was entered on Blanchard's behalf. He is charged with motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol, three counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and causing serious bodily injury, negligent driving, driving a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol, and marked lanes violation, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey. It was immediately unclear Tuesday if Blanchard would face additional charges in the case. Boston 25 has reached out to Morrissey's office for comment. During his arraignment, prosecutor Christopher Meade said Blanchard told police he had two beers while at a landscaping job on Saturday, May 24 after working that morning at his job as a mechanic. When he left his landscaping job, he opened a 1.75 liter bottle of Tito's vodka. He began drinking straight out of the bottle and drove home in his truck, Meade said during the arraignment in Wrentham District Court. Investigators later found a second, empty 1.75 liter bottle of Tito's in his truck that Blanchard told police was 'from the night before,' Meade said. While driving home around 6:22 p.m. Saturday, May 24, Blanchard crashed into a Honda Accord carrying a family of four on Grove Street in Franklin, Meade said. They were going to Blackstone for a family birthday party. The 5-year-old girl died following the crash, Meade said. Her mother and brother were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The brother's condition was not known on Tuesday. Her father, the driver of the Honda, was treated and released. Defense attorney Timothy Flaherty had asked the court during Blanchard's arraignment to impose a lesser amount of $10,000 cash bail, with conditions for his release to include electronic monitoring and that he enter an alcohol rehabilitation center. 'It's probably the right place for this young man at this time,' Flaherty said during the arraignment. 'It's a significant case but significant penalties. But I can tell the court that this young man is not a risk of flight.' An autopsy will be performed to determine a cause of Minaben Patel's death, the district attorney said. Meanwhile, services were held for Krisha Patel on May 31, according to the girl's obituary. 'Our hearts are broken as we say goodbye to such a precious little soul. In her short time with us, she filled the world with laughter, wonder, and love,' her obituary states. 'Her smile could brighten the darkest day, and her kind heart touched everyone she met.' 'Though her time here was far too brief, her spirit will forever live on in the hearts of all who loved her,' her obituary states. 'We will carry her memory with us always - like a beautiful, shining star in the sky. May she rest peacefully, wrapped in love and light.' The crash remains under investigation by Franklin Police, the Norfolk District Attorney's Office and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man was drinking from vodka bottle moments before Franklin crash that killed girl, prosecutors say
James Blanchard told police he had two beers while at a landscaping job on Saturday, after working that morning at his job as a mechanic. When he left his landscaping job, he opened a 1.75 liter bottle of Tito's vodka. He began drinking straight out of the bottle and drove home in his truck, prosecutor Christopher Meade said during his arraignment on motor vehicle homicide and other charges in Wrentham District Court on Tuesday. Investigators later found a second, empty 1.75 liter bottle of Tito's in his truck that Blanchard told police was 'from the night before,' Meade said. While driving home around 6:22 p.m. Saturday, Blanchard crashed into a Honda Accord carrying a family of four on Grove Street in Franklin, Meade said. They were going to Blackstone for a family birthday party. A 5-year-old girl, who has not been identified, died following the crash, Meade said. Her mother and brother were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Her father, the driver of the Honda, was treated and released. Blanchard, 21, of Franklin, was ordered held on $250,000 cash bail following his arraignment Tuesday, with conditions for his release including that he not drive, be alcohol free and submit to alcohol testing. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He is charged with motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol, three counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and causing serious bodily injury, negligent driving, driving a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol, and marked lanes violation, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Prosecutors said Blanchard does not have a prior criminal record. His driving record shows several speeding infractions, an open container violation, and a couple of previous surchargeable accidents, Meade said. Defense attorney Timothy Flaherty asked the court to impose a lesser amount of $10,000 cash bail, with conditions for his release to include electronic monitoring and that he enter an alcohol rehabilitation center. 'It's probably the right place for this young man at this time,' Flaherty said. 'It's a significant case but significant penalties. But I can tell the court that this young man is not a risk of flight.' Judge Thomas Finigan, citing the severity of the case and the potential for additional charges given the condition of the other passengers, set bail at $250,000, the amount requested by prosecutors. He said he'd revisit the bail amount if the case remains in the district court. Around 6:22 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash at 76 Grove St. When officers arrived, they found a truck in the middle of the road, and a Honda Accord off to the side of the road. Emergency crews performed CPR on a woman and young girl who were outside of the car and seriously injured, Meade said. The mother and daughter and two others were all taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where the girl was later pronounced dead. At the scene, Blanchard, the driver of the truck, had blood on his nose, glassy eyes and was slurring his speech, Meade said. Officers noted an odor of alcohol coming from him. 'His eyes were bloodshot, glassy,' Meade said. 'They asked him if he was OK, he told them he was OK.' Blanchard told the officers he was coming from Plainville where he works. He told officers he didn't remember too much of the crash. When asked by responding officers if he had been drinking, Blanchard initially told them he had not. Officers noted two 1.75 liter handles of vodka and beers inside his truck. They asked Blanchard to submit to a portable breath test, to which he agreed, Meade said. His blood alcohol level came back .19, Meade said, more than twice the legal limit for driving in Massachusetts. While the test was being analyzed, Blanchard told police he had a beer earlier in the day. He was placed under arrest and taken by ambulance to Milton Hospital. Meanwhile, the girl's father, the driver of the Honda Accord, told police that he saw Blanchard's truck coming in his lane and tried to avoid being hit by the truck by turning left, but the crash still happened, Meade said. Witnesses driving behind the Honda Accord told police they saw the Honda suddenly jerk to the left and they saw the crash. The next day, around 11:45 a.m. Sunday, Franklin Police detectives interviewed Blanchard, who agreed to speak with them, Meade said. He told investigators he had worked from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday as a mechanic in Plainville and then stopped by a liquor store in Plainville where he bought a 1.75 Liter of Tito's vodka and a beer. He then told police he went to do landscaping, where he had two beers. When he left he opened the bottle of Tito's and began drinking straight out of it and drove home. 'When asked about the 2 bottles of Tito's in the car, he said the empty one was from the night before and the one that was a quarter full of vodka was the bottle he had bought earlier in the day and was drinking before the crash,' Meade said. Investigators are reviewing surveillance videos from area businesses at the time of the crash, Meade said. Blanchard is due back in court on June 24. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Franklin man arraigned, held on $250K bail after crash that killed 5-year-old girl
A Franklin man admitted to drinking a large amount of vodka and beer prior to a weekend crash that killed a 5-year-old girl and severely injured her mother and brother, a prosecutor said in court on Tuesday, May 27. James Blanchard's blood alcohol level of .19, taken shortly after the crash on Saturday, May 24, is more than twice the legal limit of .08, prosecutor Christopher Meade said during Blanchard's arraignment Tuesday in Wrentham District Court. Franklin Police responded to Grove Street at 6:22 p.m. Saturday after receiving reports of a crash. Meade said that when police arrived, they found a pickup truck in the middle of the road and a Honda Accord to the side with heavy damage. Earlier: Franklin man, 21, faces several charges related to crash that killed young girl A woman, identified as Minaben Patel, was on the ground and being assisted by people, including a doctor, who came upon the crash. Patel's 5-year-old daughter, whose name was not disclosed in court and is redacted in court documents, was also being assisted. According to court documents, the young girl suffered critical injuries, including injuries to her leg, midsection, chest, face and head. Meade said emergency workers immediately called for a medical rescue helicopter for the girl. She was declared dead at UMass-Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. 'They noted on the way to transport by LifeFlight that her condition got worse,' Meade said. The girl's mother and 14-year-old brother, who also was not identified, were also transported to UMass-Memorial Medical Center and are in critical condition. The father, identified as Atulkumar Patel, was 'panic stricken' at the scene, according to court documents. He was later taken to UMass-Memorial where he was treated and released. Patel told police that he was driving his family to Blackstone to celebrate his son's birthday, which was Saturday, according to the prosecutor. 'He said he saw the truck in his lane, and he tried to avoid the truck by turning left in his lane, but the crash still occurred,' Meade said. When officers spoke to Blanchard, they said he had blood on his nose and bloodshot eyes, according to Meade. While Blanchard told the officer interviewing him that he was 'OK,' Meade said the officer noticed Blanchard tried to not speak directly to the officer's face. But the police officer could smell alcohol coming from Blanchard's breath, the prosecutor said, and he noticed Blanchard was slurring his words. The officer also saw an empty 1.75-liter bottle of vodka in the truck, a second mostly empty bottle and some beer cans in the cab. Blanchard initially denied drinking, Meade said, saying he was just driving home from work in Plainfield and 'all of a sudden there was a crash.' He agreed to take a portable breath test and as he was getting ready to take the test, he told the officer he had one beer. But he blew a .19 on the breath test, according to Meade. Blanchard was taken to Milford Regional Medical Center to be treated and to have blood drawn. He was later interviewed by police when he admitted to drinking a large amount of alcohol, Meade said. Police charged Blanchard with motor vehicle homicide while OUI; two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor causing serious bodily injury; driving to endanger; and possession of an open container of liquor. Meade asked Judge Thomas Finigan to hold Blanchard on $250,000 bail. If Blanchard posted bail, Meade asked Finigan to order Blanchard to drink no alcohol and to wear a device that checks alcohol usage. Blanchard's lawyer, Timothy Flaherty, called the bail request 'excessive," noting his client had no criminal record. Flaherty asked Finigan to set bail at $10,000 and to send him to an alcohol treatment facility. Finigan determined that Meade's request was appropriate and set the bail at $250,000, agreeing also with the requested conditions should Blanchard post bail. the judge noted the seriousness of the charges, the possibility of additional charges and the likelihood the case will be indicted. 'Any loss of life is tragic, but it's even more so when it's a young child,' Finigan said. Blanchard is due back in court on June 24 for a pretrial conference. Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@ For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Franklin man arraigned, held on $250,000 bail after fatal crash
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
‘We waited, hoped and fought for this class. It's like a cruel betrayal' – parents frustrated after promised autism class is withdrawn
Today at 21:30 Parents who had been promised an autism class for their children say they are 'frustrated', 'let down' and 'heartbroken' after learning that it will no longer be proceeding. When a special class had been made available for Scoil Teampall Toinne in Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary, for September, Linda Meade and her husband Patrick Meade were over the moon. It meant their four-year-old son Reigan, who was diagnosed with autism last year, would get to go to the same school as his older brother and friends. After being informed that Scoil Teampall Toinne would have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class, Ms Meade refused the offer of a place at another school which would have catered for her son's needs. However, parents have now been told that the ASD class will no longer be happening. 'We live in the countryside where services and supports for children with additional needs are already few and far between,' Ms Meade said. 'We struggle for assessments, for therapies, for any kind of support. And now, a class that could have made a real difference is gone. 'How are we supposed to explain this to our children?' An email from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) stated that the 'conditions under which the class was sanctioned had significantly changed'. 'The class was sanctioned based on an agreement with the school that they had permanent accommodation available for a special class to open in September 2025,' a NCSE employee told parents. 'Since then, the school have [sic] notified the department that rent will need to be paid on the accommodation and that a permanent build will be required. As a result, the sanction could not progress'. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them While parents have been advised that the support of special needs assistants will be provided, they fear their children will end up being 'left behind'. Ms Meade said it was her understanding that a fee has to be paid for the building – which is located next to the main school – but she understood that the 'fee was very negotiable'. 'It doesn't make any sense,' she said. 'We have waited, hoped and fought for this class. Our children cannot wait years for services that should be basic rights. We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal opportunities, for dignity, for the right for every child to be educated in a place that supports them'. 'This decision feels like a cruel betrayal,' she added. Josephine Sweeney's daughter, Eily (7), is another one of the children set to lose out. Eily is currently in senior infants at Scoil Teampall Toinne. While she has been able to manage with help from the SNAs so far, going forward she will need even greater support, which is why her mother was 'delighted' when she found out an ASD class would be made available. I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs 'One of the big things doctors said when Eily received her diagnosis is that they [students with autism] can manage for junior and senior infants, but once they get past that, it gets more academic and that's where they start to fall behind. 'Eily particularly struggles with any type of change to the normal, becoming agitated and very distressed, even if we were only to change the route we take to a familiar location. 'She remains upset for a considerable amount of time afterwards and gets very distraught if things will change from the familiar again. 'I cannot overemphasise the reaction Eily would have, impacting all areas of her life, and our entire family life, if she had to leave Ballyporeen to access the day-to-day assistance she needs to help navigate her way through the educational and social aspects of school'. The Department of Education said an additional 399 new special education classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2025/2006 school year. Another 300 special school places and five new special schools are also being established. 'The NCSE has advised the department that sufficient special class capacity has already been created in this area so that children who require special class placements are able to access them for September 2025. "In some cases, children may wish to remain in their local school, where they will be supported by the special education resources that are provided to mainstream schools.' It said queries on individual classes should be referred to the NCSE. However, the NCSE did not respond to requests for comment. While the department said there will be nearly 4,000 available spaces for children in special education classes next year, it does not appear that Scoil Teampall will be among them. The school was contacted for comment.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool's Trent replacement, Man Utd's FOUR untouchables, Arsenal targets
Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he'll be one of the summer's big movers after confirming his Liverpool exit. After spending his entire career with the Reds the right-back has now chosen to pursue a new challenge. Real Madrid are expected to be his destination, but nothing has been confirmed for Alexander-Arnold, who issued a heartfelt message upon his exit. He leaves a huge void at Anfield with the Reds needing to replace him. Manchester United are in need of major surgery with their loss at the weekend again highlighting their issues. Ruben Amorim will need several big signings if they are to close the gap on the elite sides but their business is likely to depend on whether they get into the Champions League. Arsenal 's summer will be dominated by their need to add a striker. Not having a prolific No 9 has cost them at times this season with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres among those they're eyeing up. Manchester City need to right the wrongs from this season with Chelsea's approach also set to be telling. 06:03Samuel Meade Man Utd ready to sell all but FOUR stars Just four Manchester United stars are viewed as being 'untouchable' in the summer transfer window. The Red Devils are gearing up for a busy off-season after a miserable campaign under Ruben Amorim. It appears that United chiefs are ready to be even more ruthless than many expected they might be. With the Red Devils needing to sell, it has now emerged than only four players are certain to stay. That is according to the Daily Star, who report that United are willing to sell 'most members' of the current squad. The club are said to be 'desperate' to meet financial spending rules, while also being able to supply Amorim with the funds necessary to make new signings. As a result, only captain Bruno Fernandes, veteran defender Harry Maguire, young attacker Amad and January signing Patrick Dorgu are 'immune' from the fire sale. The quartet will not depart no matter the fee offered. 05:39Samuel Meade Frimpong's Liverpool desire One of the players Liverpool have been linked with as a replacement for Alexander-Arnold is Jeremie Frimpong. The Bayer Leverkusen star has four goals and 12 assists in 47 games this season and has caught the eye of scouts. The 24-year-old has played for Leverkusen for the past four years, but started out in the Manchester City academy. However, explaining his journey as a youngster, he said he would have preferred to join Liverpool instead. 'One time with AFC Clayton, we had a final. I scored a hat-trick and won player of the tournament," he told Rising Ballers. "There were scouts from Liverpool, Man City, Bolton and lots more. I chose Liverpool first. I was going to sign for them but back then, driving wasn't a thing. My family wasn't driving and it was far. Man City was local so I tried Man City next. It made more sense. It was 15 minutes on the bus.' 05:38Samuel Meade Arsenal urged to go after KDB Mikel Arteta has been told by Jamie O'Hara that he should be doing whatever he can to persuade Kevin De Bruyne to swap Man City for Arsenal when he departs the Etihad at the end of the season. The former Wolfsburg man has already been linked with clubs in the United States but he has also refused to rule out playing for another team in England. And O'Hara says that pursuing a deal for the player who has been City's orchestrator-in-chief during a period of sustained success is a no-brainer for an Arsenal side who have failed to win the Premier League title in successive years.
