Taunton Car Crash Into Threemile River: Second Man Found Dead Tuesday

Published Wednesday, November 11, 2026. This post summarizes public news reports and is general information, not legal advice.

What Happened on the Threemile River in Taunton

A second man has died after a car crashed into the Threemile River in Taunton, according to reports from boston25news.com. The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said the man was pulled from the water Tuesday afternoon, in the area where the vehicle was located, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Crews initially found one person still inside the vehicle, a 24-year-old Taunton man, police said. The website boston25news.com reported that he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Taunton police received a report of the vehicle at 10:15 p.m. Police said the report described the vehicle as traveling at a high speed near North Walker Street. Officers said the vehicle struck a utility pole and a guardrail before crashing into the river. Officials said the vehicle was a white Nissan.

How Can Insurance and Wrongful Death Law Affect Families After a Car Crash?

A fatal car crash raises two early legal questions in Massachusetts: which insurance coverage applies, and what deadline governs a claim for a person who died. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., Boston personal injury attorney Dino M. Colucci represents people injured in car crashes and families who have lost someone in one. Our team investigates how a crash happened, which policies apply and who can be responsible. Our team represents injured clients in Suffolk, Norfolk and Middlesex counties and throughout Massachusetts.

Under M.G.L. c. 90, § 34M, a Massachusetts motor vehicle liability policy generally must provide personal injury protection, which § 34A defines as coverage of at least $8,000 per person. For an eligible injured person, PIP can pay, without regard to fault, reasonable medical expenses incurred within two years of the crash, lost wages generally limited to 75 percent of the person’s average weekly wage for the year before the crash, and payments to people outside the household for necessary replacement services. A deductible purchased under § 34M can modify, reduce or eliminate these benefits for the insured and members of the insured’s household. Where health, sickness or disability insurance, or a group plan that pays for health care, has paid or will pay medical, dental, hospital, ambulance, nursing or funeral expenses, § 34A bars PIP from paying more than $2,000 of those expenses to the extent they are so paid. Amounts that coverage does not pay, such as its deductibles and copayments, can generally still be paid by PIP up to the policy’s PIP limit.

Families also face a filing deadline. Under M.G.L. c. 229, § 2, a Massachusetts wrongful death action generally must be filed within three years from the date of death. Alternatively, the period can run three years from the date when the executor or administrator knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, of the factual basis for a claim, subject to any additional time provided by certain sections of chapter 260.

Why Physical Evidence From a Crash Can Change Over Time

Physical evidence is relevant to how a crash is reconstructed after the fact. Marks on the pavement can fade, and debris can be removed as a roadway is cleared. Damage to a utility pole or a guardrail can be repaired or replaced, which can change the scene from what it looked like that night.

Vehicle damage is also relevant, and a vehicle that has been towed can be repaired, salvaged or disposed of. Where police said a report described a vehicle traveling at a high speed, the condition of the vehicle and the scene can serve as evidence when that account is reviewed.

A written request to preserve a vehicle and any photographs can help keep a record before things change. Our team can send preservation requests to whoever holds a vehicle or images, and can arrange for the scene and the vehicle to be photographed and documented.

What Families Can Do Now

The steps below are general information for families after a fatal car crash in Massachusetts.

• Keep a record of insurer contact: Write down the date, the caller and the subject of every call, and keep every letter and email from an insurance company.
• Request the police crash report: Ask the police department that handled the crash for its report once it is available. The report can contain details about the vehicle, the location and what officers observed.
• Ask that video and vehicle data be preserved: Send written requests to nearby businesses, homeowners and agencies that may have cameras, and to whoever holds the vehicle. Footage can be overwritten and stored data can be lost.
• Understand who brings a wrongful death claim: Under the wrongful death statute discussed above, a person whose negligence causes another person’s death can be liable for damages. The action is brought by the executor or administrator of the deceased person for the benefit of the surviving spouse, children or next of kin.
• Talk with a lawyer before signing anything: Our Boston attorneys can review a release, authorization or other insurer document with a family and explain what it does before anyone signs.

Sources

• boston25news.com: Second man pulled from water after deadly crash in Taunton

Talking With a Lawyer After a Fatal Crash in Taunton

An early conversation can help a family understand the police investigation, insurance and a possible wrongful death claim, without any obligation. Call Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. at (617) 698-6000 to discuss your case. Our office at 31 Milk St, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02109 serves injured clients throughout Boston and across Massachusetts.