Alcohol, Marijuana Blamed for Crash That Killed Stoughton Native

MIDDLEBORO, MA — The driver in a fatal crash that took place on Interstate 495 in Middleboro in October was drunk and had marijuana in her system, the Plymouth County District Attorney's office has concluded.

Friday, the office revealed that Stoughton native Valantein Burson had a blood alcohol content of .16 and marijuana in her system, according to a postmortem toxicology report.

On Oct. 24 at 12:11 a.m., police responded to a report of a wrong-way driver on the northbound side of the highway. About a minute after receiving the call, another 911 caller reported a head-on collision and car in flames.

When police arrived at the scene near Exit 3, they found an Infiniti G37 with Burson in the driver's seat. A second vehicle, a Mercury Sable, had four occupants. The occupants Kraig A. Diggs of Osterville, Jordan Galvin-Jutras of Hyannis, Jordan J. Fisher of Harwich, and Cory P. Licata of West Babylon, New York, all died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Police learned that prior to the crash, Burson was at a party in New Bedford where she consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana. A witness said she left the party at 11 p.m. to meet an acquaintance at her home in Fall River, but never made it there.

Witnesses at the scene of the crash told police that Burson made an illegal 3-point turn on the highway and drove south on the northbound side of I-495 for 2-3 minutes. Police say she nearly struck three or four cars before crashing into the Mercury.

A state police investigation revealed that there was no attempt by either vehicle to hit the breaks. The Infiniti's speedometer was found stuck at 90 mph by police. Police believe the Mercury was traveling between 65-75 mph and the Mercury was between 83-93 mph.

Image: File photo