PEMBROKE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — One person has died and three others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Pembroke on Sunday.
The crash, which happened at around 9:30 a.m., caused several miles of standstill traffic to back up along Route 3.
Shortly before 10 a.m., Massachusetts State Police said there were "serious injuries" reported from the crash on the northbound side of Route 3, just before Exit 12.
MSP said there were also "multiple subsequent minor crashes and road defect" reported prior to exit 12 in Pembroke.
By around 10:15 a.m, all lanes on Route 3 northbound were closed. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation also reported a three-mile slowdown of traffic on the southbound side of the highway. Drivers exiting Cape Cod were told to expect heavy delays via Route 3 for several hours.
The right travel lane and the breakdown lane were reopened to traffic shortly before 11:30 a.m. The left lane remained closed for clean-up and a crash investigation.
Hours later, MSP said officers had discovered the driver of an SUV suffering non-life threatening injuries, and the passenger, an 87-year-old female from Quincy, suffering serious injuries.
"Troopers performed life-saving efforts, including CPR, prior to her transport to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries," said MSP.
Police said earlier on Sunday, and unrelated to this crash, MassDOT had dispatched a work crew to repair a road defect north of the crash. "This road defect, a pothole, was completely separate and unrelated to this crash," said MPS.
The exact cause and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App
(Photo: Getty Images)