Sutton MA Teen Critically Hurt in Route 146 Accident

SMITHFIELD, RI--An 18-year-old motorist from Sutton, MA, was critically injured after losing control of her car, striking the median and crashing into another car on Route 146 North about 10:10 a.m. today, state police say. The highway was closed for more than two hours as a result of the crash.

The driver, whose name has not been released, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. The driver of the second car, a 23-year-old woman from Central Falls, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

State Police Capt. Matthew Moynihan said the driver of the first car was heading north on Route 146, near the Pound Hill Road exit, when her car went from the travel lane, into the high-speed lane and off the road, striking the center median. It then came back into the travel lane, where it was struck broadside by another car.

State Police closed both northbound lanes of traffic on Route 146 while police, fire and rescue were on the scene. Traffic was diverted on and off the highway via the Pound Hill Road exit, around the accident scene, until about 12:30 p.m.

The accident is still under investigation by troopers from the Scituate Barracks and members of the Rhode Island State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.