MEDWAY, Mass. — Authorities have identified the man who died in a devastating single-car crash Thursday morning on Summer Street, also known as Route 126, in Medway. Medway Police confirmed the victim as Jude Espazien, 50, of Roslindale. The crash, which involved fire and extensive damage, has left investigators with few answers.
According to Medway Police Chief William Kingsbury, the cause of the crash may never be fully known. “We will likely never know,” Kingsbury said Friday. “It’s a single-car accident, it went off the road and it was unwitnessed. We will never know exactly why.” No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. on Thursday, January 15. Police say Espazien was driving northbound on Summer Street near Amelia Drive when his vehicle suddenly left the roadway. The car traveled into the front yard of a home at 26 Summer St., where it struck multiple objects and erupted into flames.
Chief Kingsbury said the vehicle appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed, and investigators found no indication that the driver attempted to brake or stop before leaving the road. The car first slammed into a utility pole, shearing it off at the base, before crashing into a granite-bottomed mailbox. The vehicle then came to rest on the lawn, narrowly missing the nearby house.
As the car burned, bystanders rushed to help, bravely entering the burning vehicle and pulling Espazien out. He was the sole occupant of the car. Emergency crews arrived shortly afterward and transported him to Milford Regional Medical Center. Despite life-saving efforts, Espazien was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Police said the victim’s identity was not confirmed until late Thursday due to the severity of the crash and fire damage. The crash remains under investigation, though officials say the lack of witnesses and the nature of the incident make it unlikely that definitive answers will be found. Authorities continue to remind drivers to use caution, especially on busy roadways like Route 126, as the community mourns the sudden and tragic loss of life.
