Man Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter Charges in Fatal Crash in Franklin, MA
A 22-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and drunk driving charges following a crash that resulted in the deaths of a 5-year-old girl and her mother in Franklin, Massachusetts, on May 24.
James Blanchard was arraigned in Norfolk Superior Court and ordered held on $250,000 cash bail, according to District Attorney Michael Morrissey. He faces two counts of manslaughter while driving under the influence and one count of DUI causing serious bodily injury.
Blanchard had previously been arraigned in Wrentham District Court on similar charges, including motor vehicle homicide. He was later indicted on the manslaughter charges by a Norfolk County grand jury.
Authorities allege Blanchard was driving while intoxicated when he collided head-on with a vehicle carrying the Patel family, who were en route to a birthday party. Five-year-old Krisha Patel was airlifted to UMass Worcester but did not survive, while her mother, Minaben Patel, passed away days later due to her injuries. A 14-year-old boy in the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The father, who was driving, was unharmed.
Emergency responders reported that Blanchard exhibited signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes. He allegedly told officers he was unaware of the events leading to the crash. A breathalyzer test recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.19, significantly above the Massachusetts legal limit of 0.08.
If released on bail, Blanchard must abstain from alcohol and submit to testing. He is scheduled to return to court on December 22.