Attleboro
Crash suspect ordered held
![]() Todd Brown, 33, was arraigned in Attleboro District Court on Monday. (Submitted photo)
Top Headlines Todd Brown, 33, of 24 Green Lane Road in Pawtucket, was arraigned Monday in Attleboro District Court where he was ordered held without bail for a drug and alcohol evaluation. Brown, who police say is a habitual traffic offender and is on probation in Stoughton District Court on a drunken driving case, also faces a dangerousness hearing Aug. 5. Eight people were injured in the Sunday afternoon crash, including four children. Three victims were taken to area hospitals, including a 5-year-old boy with a broken left arm and head injuries. The injuries were described as not life-threatening. Roque Pineda, 37, a driver of one on the wrecked cars, and passenger Lesbia Rodas were released after treatment at Rhode Island Hospital. There was no information for Ebelyn Rodas, 7, and Nageli Rodas, 5, who were also passengers. The other car was driven by Constance Giguere, 39. The passengers were Jeffrey Giguere, 38, Jeffrey Jr., 10, and William Giguere, 7. The addresses of the victims were not listed. Brown faces 21 charges, including driving under the influence of drugs, refusing to stop for police, resisting arrest, driving to endanger and leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injuries. Innocent pleas were entered by the court, where a court-appointed psychologist told Judge Richard Savignano that Brown has been smoking crack cocaine and drinking alcohol almost everyday and having paranoid thoughts. He was stopped by Patrolman Kevin Noble on Newport Avenue (Route 1A) near Lockwood Avenue after he was seen traveling at a high rate of speed about 4:30 p.m. at Route 1 and May Street, police said. When Noble asked him to step out of the car after a routine check revealed his license was suspended, police said Brown sped away southbound on Newport Avenue. Police said Noble did not chase Brown because he had already been identified and because of heavy traffic in the area and poor weather conditions. Noble, however, did try to keep Brown in sight as he drove south at up to 70 mph, police said. He collided with one car on Newport Avenue near Park Circle, forcing it over a concrete divider in the highway into another car traveling north before it flipped over onto its roof, police said. Brown continued driving south but abandoned his car and ran into a wooded area where he called his wife from a cell phone, police said. His wife came to the scene and cooperated with police as they searched for Brown with help from state police and police dogs. Brown finally surrendered after talking to Detective James Cote by cell phone, police said. Brown allegedly told police he last smoked crack cocaine on Thursday and denied being under the influence at the time of the accident. Police said he expressed remorse over the accident and said he panicked when he fled officers at the scene. Brown also has a pending case in Dedham District Court, where he faces a charge of open and gross lewdness in connection with a July 9 arrest by Wellesley police, according to court records. In Attleboro, prosecutors will ask a judge to keep Brown in jail without bail for up to 90 days while they prepare for trial. The hearing was requested by Prosecutor Joseph Costanza who cited the defendant's record and the seriousness of the new charges against him. Brown was sent to the Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center in Bridgewater operated by the state Department of Corrections.
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