Woman killed, alleged drunk driver hits State Police cruiser in separate crashes in Stoneham

A woman was killed early Sunday in Stoneham when the car she was driving crashed into a truck parked in the breakdown lane of Interstate 93, and an alleged drunk driver later struck a State Police cruiser and a tow truck that responded to the scene, authorities said.

State Police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement that in the first crash, the unidentified woman’s 2005 Volkswagen Beetle veered into the breakdown lane and hit the rear of the truck on the southbound side of the highway, trapping her and her passenger.

The truck had its emergency lights on at the time, Procopio said.

He said the woman was pronounced dead at the scene and her passenger, a Medford man whom he also did not identify, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, Procopio said.

He said authorities had to close the two right lanes of the interstate as well as the breakdown lane to clear debris from the incident. While they were doing so, a Toyota Camry driven by Albert Vasquez, 29, of Lawrence, struck a State Police cruiser and a tow truck that were at the scene.

Procopio said the cruiser and the truck were parked in an area marked with cones and an arrow board, and that authorities arrested Vasquez and charged him with driving drunk.

Neither the trooper, who was out of the cruiser, nor the tow operator suffered injuries, according to Procopio.

Vasquez was taken to the State Police barracks in Medford and his passenger, Ariane C. Mahon, 27, of Brookline, was taken to Lahey Clinic in Burlington with minor injuries, Procopio said.

Vasquez complained of chest pains at the barracks and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he remains under guard this afternoon, according to State Police.

Vasquez will be arraigned in Woburn District Court when his medical condition allows, possibly Monday, Procopio said.

He said the scene was cleared just after 6 a.m. and both crashes remain under investigation.

Officials do not yet know whether any of the injured parties were wearing seat belts during the two crashes, Procopio said.