Survivor Of Deadly, Wrong-Way Crash Remains In Critical Condition

ANDOVER, MA -- The woman who survived a head-on crash on Interstate 495 in Lawrence Wednesday has had three surgeries and has been so heavily sedated that her family has been unable to tell her that her husband, Nelson Rivera, 56, of Lawrence, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lydia Martinez, who remains in critical condition at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, was driving a Honda Pilot on the southbound side of the highway at the Andover-Lawrence when a Kia Sportage driven by Jyllian McGonagle, 38, also of Lawrence, suddenly swerved across the median from the northbound side and into oncoming traffic.

Evelyn Martinez, Lydia Martinez's sister and Nelson Rivera's sister-in-law, told Patch that the family is devastated and have been unable to get answers from investigators as to why McGonagle, who was also pronounced dead at the scene, drove into oncoming traffic.

"Lydia's family is suffering. We’ve all traveled from New York, Pennsylvania and Long Island to be by her side. She doesn’t even know that her husband has passed," Martinez said. "I can't even explain the pain and hurt we have in the loss of a loved one, what she and her family will go through without her soulmate and the children without their papa."

Related story: GoFundMe Started For Family Of Man Killed In I-495 Crash

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police declined comment Monday because the investigation is ongoing.

Lydia Martinez, 55, is scheduled to have more surgeries this week. She was initially put into a medically-induced coma as doctors tried to treat two collapsed lungs and broken bones throughout her body.

"All her bones are crushed. Her lungs collapsed," Martinez said. "She's been heavily sedated and medicated, but no brain injuries. She can hear us."

Two other women in a 2016 Toyota RAV4 that was hit after the Kia crashed into the Pilot were also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A third driver, a 59-year-old Dracut man, was uninjured after the Kia sideswiped his 2004 Ford F350 before crashing into the Pilot. The highway was closed for nearly three hours Wednesday following the accident.

Previously on Patch: Police Release Names Of Two Killed In I-495 Crash

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Photo of Nelson Rivera (left) via GoFundMe. Used with permission.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).