Man Accused Of Crashing Into CT Motorcyclists Pleads Not Guilty

NORTHFIELD, Mass. — A Rhode Island man charged with plowing into a group of motorcyclists from Connecticut in Northfield, Mass., Sunday is being held without bail after he pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Ryan O'Farrell, 32, of Westerly, R.I., is being accused of driving a sport utility vehicle pulling a trailer into the oncoming lane and crashing into five motorcycles from a Connecticut motorcycle club.

According to the Northwestern Massachusetts District Attorney's office, O'Farrell was charged with nine counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; seven counts of operating under the influence of drugs causing serious bodily injury; operating under the influence of drugs; two counts of child endangerment; negligent operation of a motor vehicle; unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

The DA's office said there were two children, ages 11 and 12, in the vehicle with the suspect at the time of the accident. They were taken to the hospital, but the DA's office said they appeared uninjured.

In Greenfield, Mass., District Court Tuesday, O'Farrell pleaded not guilty to the charges, with Greenfield District Court Judge William Mazanec ordering O'Farrell held without bail, saying that O'Farrell poses a danger to others.

"He should not have been driving," Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jeremy Bucci said in a statement. "It is the Commonwealth's position that nothing short of incarcerating him would stop him from driving."

Bucci said one of the two children in the car actually warned O'Farrell of his driving, according to a statement from the DA's office.

Authorities said O'Farrell was piloting the SUV Sunday that plowed into five motorcycles on Route 10 in Northfield, Mass., which is in northwestern Massachusetts, not far from the Vermont border.

Eight people were injured in all, according to the DA's office, with two in critical condition at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, Mass.

The 1 p.m. crash Sunday required the services of three Life Flight medical helicopters to take the injured to the hospital.

O'Farrell's case Tuesday was continued to a pretrial conference June 29, where a judge could allow for his release on bail.

Should that happen, the DA's office said bail would be $100,000 cash or a $500,000 non-surety bond.

For the full report on O'Farrell's arrest, click on this link.

For the full report on O'Farrell's court appearance Tuesday, click on this link.