An 18-year-old Fall River man has been charged with driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury after a rollover crash Friday night left a juvenile passenger with life-threatening injuries, Portsmouth police announced Monday.
Michael A. Montanez Verdejo was arrested Saturday in connection with the single-vehicle crash on Route 24 North near Cedar Island that injured him and three juvenile passengers, according to a press release from the department.
Officers responded to the scene at approximately 9:44 p.m. on Dec. 13 and found a gray Massachusetts-registered Toyota Camry overturned on its roof in a wooded area adjacent to the roadway, police said. A large construction traffic message board had been struck and was resting against the vehicle. All airbags had deployed, and the vehicle sustained extensive damage.
Two juvenile occupants had exited the vehicle before police arrived. Officers found Montanez Verdejo conscious but trapped inside, along with an unresponsive juvenile passenger who was also trapped. Portsmouth Fire Department personnel extricated both, police said.
The unresponsive juvenile sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, where they remain hospitalized. Montanez Verdejo was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for his injuries and also remains hospitalized. The two other juvenile passengers were treated at Newport Hospital and released.
Police said officers detected a strong odor of freshly burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle and located multiple alcoholic beverage containers during the investigation.
In addition to the felony charge, Montanez Verdejo faces two counts of driving to endanger resulting in physical injury. He was also cited for driving with a suspended license, presence of an alcoholic beverage while operating a motor vehicle, possession of marijuana by a person aged 17 to 20, laned roadway violations and reasonable and prudent speed violations.
Montanez Verdejo was arraigned by a justice of the peace and released after posting $5,000 bail with surety. He is scheduled to be formally arraigned at 2nd Division District Court on Wednesday.
The Portsmouth Police Department Detective Division and Accident Reconstruction Team continue to investigate.