Massachusetts

Part of Interstate 195 was closed near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border Tuesday for a car fire.

Details about the severity and cause of the fire and whether anyone was hurt in the fire near Exit 1 of the highway, in Seekonk, weren’t immediately available.

I-195 west was closed at the exit, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said, and drivers were being urged to avoid the highway because the accident caused multiple lanes to be closed.

Images shared on social media showed a car completely engulfed in flames on the side of the highway, after apparently colliding with a truck.

This developing news story will be updated when more information is available.

More Seekonk news

Massachusetts

Mar 22

Driver indicted in Christmas night crash that killed Mass. teen, grandparents

Traffic

Dec 11, 2023

‘Critical failure’ prompts abrupt partial closure of I-195 bridge in Providence

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Police are investigating a daylight stabbing in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Taunton police said they responded around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a stabbing on Paul Bunker Drive. They said at least one person was stabbed.

The investigation is active and ongoing, according to police, and additional details will be released as they become available.

More Massachusetts stories

Massachusetts

2 hours ago

Bride releases butterflies in honor of her late father. But they didn’t fly away

Karen Read

5 hours ago

Gov. Healey says state police ‘made the right decision’ by relieving Michael Proctor of duty

[This story first appeared on Boston Restaurant Talk.]

It looks like a chain of Indian restaurants is expanding to the southwest suburbs of Boston, moving into the space where another Indian dining spot had been.

According to a Threads post…

A woman has been missing from Worcester, Massachusetts, for several days, police said, asking for help finding her.

Anyone with information about where Amanda Pearce, 60, is was asked to call police at 911 or 508-799-8606.

Pearce is 5-foot-…

Gov. Maura Healey said Tuesday that Col. John Mawn, interim superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, “made the right decision” by relieving Trooper Michael Proctor of duty after a mistrial was declared in the case against Karen Read.

“The colonel made the right decision,” she said after a housing event in Lowell. “I fully support the decision made by MSP on this. As you know, it’s under internal investigation, and that process will have to go forward. This was the right move to remove him. This is a process. We have to wait for that process to go forward.”

Proctor drew heavy criticism after testifying in the case, for which he served as the lead investigator, revealing a series of inappropriate texts he sent about Read. Shortly after a mistrial was declared Monday, Mawn issued a statement saying Proctor had been relieved of duty and transferred out of the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office.

Healey added Tuesday that she has “no tolerance for that behavior, frankly, with anyone in law enforcement, with anyone in public service. Again, the colonel made the right move here, absolutely.”

Asked whether action should be taken against Proctor’s superiors, some of whom were also included in the text chain containing comments about Read, Healey said, “This is with MSP, so we’ll have to see what the process is.”

As for state police in general, Healey said she will make sure that the search for a new superintendent results in the hiring of a leader who “will bring the most professionalism, integrity and competence and skill to the position.” She referred any further questions on the subject to state police.

The trial against Read — accused of killing boyfriend John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer, in 2022 — ended Monday when jurors were unable to reach a verdict. State prosecutors say they intend to retry Read.

O’Keefe was found dying in the snow outside the Canton home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer with the Boston Police Department. Prosecutors argued Read hit him with her SUV and left him to die, while Read’s defense argued she was framed in a coverup involving law enforcement and people inside the home.

Proctor became the lead investigator after state police were called in because Albert has a brother with the Canton Police Department. But Proctor’s own connection with other witnesses were called into question at the trial. Proctor acknowledged that he is close with his sister, Courtney, who is friends with Julie Albert, the homeowner’s sister-in-law.

The trooper came under fire after testifying about texts he sent during the investigation to friends, family members and colleagues, including superiors with the state police.

In them, he called Read a “whack job” and a “c***,” made disparaging remarks about medical conditions, and said he had found “no nudes so far” when going through her phone.

When a friend said they were “sure the owner of the house will receive some s***,” Proctor replied, Nope, homeowner is a Boston cop, too.”

More on the Karen Read case

Karen Read

6 hours ago

What comes next after mistrial in Karen Read murder case?

Karen Read

16 hours ago

Michael Proctor relieved of duty, state police say after Karen Read mistrial

Karen Read

Jul 1

Karen Read trial: Divided jury leads to mistrial in murder case

A Massachusetts man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly stole food from a Burger King drive thru customer, fled the scene and then exposed himself while in an area backyard.

Reading police said they received a call around 10:20 p.m. …