Norton High Loses Educator in Fatal Cranston Crash

A North Attleboro woman, who worked at Norton High School, is dead and a 34-year-old man from Somerset is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital after a police chase ended in a fiery crash under the Meshanticut Bridge on Oaklawn Avenue last night.

Warwick Police said the pursuit started in Warwick and ended around 2:15 a.m. when Brandon Borge crashed into the Meshanticut Bridge on the connector to Oaklawn Avenue in Cranston.

He was driving a Ford Freestyle owned by the victim, identified by police as Barbara Ellis, 34, who was riding in the passenger seat.

Ellis was the School-to-Career counselor for Norton High School. She helped students find employment in after-school and summer jobs. A moment of silence was held in her name at Monday night's School Committee meeting.

Speed was a factor in the crash. The vehicle reportedly caught fire after crashing into the abutment.

Borge lost both legs in the crash and he drove as fast as 100 mph, police said.

Police are investigating whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

Photos and video courtesy Ryan Pickering. Follow him on Twitter: @Ryanpick