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DA Says Intoxicated Driver Caused Route 1 Wrong‑Way Crash That Killed Trooper Kevin Trainor

Prosecutors say toxicology, camera footage plus a reconstruction show the driver’s high blood alcohol level led to the collision rather than any vehicle or signage defect.

Overview

  • The Essex County district attorney released the final investigative summary on July 15 that found Hernan Ramon Marrero drove the wrong way on Route 1 and collided head‑on with Trooper Kevin Trainor, killing both men.
  • Toxicology reported a blood alcohol concentration of 0.192 and the presence of bupropion, and investigators documented that Marrero had been served multiple alcoholic drinks earlier that night at two restaurants.
  • MassDOT camera footage and cruiser event data show Marrero entered the Peabody jughandle, grazed a guardrail, ran a red light, made an improper turn and traveled about 1.8 miles south in the northbound lanes before the crash.
  • A State Police reconstruction concluded Marrero’s actions caused the collision, not a vehicle malfunction or faulty signage, and recorded impact speeds of roughly 56–61 mph for the Jeep and 60–68 mph for the cruiser.
  • The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has issued civil notices to Tribu Mexican Kitchen and Bar with a July 28 hearing while state officials move forward on a multi‑year expansion of wrong‑way detection and prevention at more than 500 high‑risk locations.