LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Two people were killed and three others were injured Wednesday when a wrong-way driver triggered a violent crash on I-495 in Lawrence, state police said.
Troopers responding to a reported crash on I-495 northbound just south of Exit 42A around 11:50 a.m. determined that a 2016 Kia Sportage driven by a 38-year-old Lawrence woman had crossed the median into the northbound lanes, sideswiped a 2004 Ford F-350 driven by a 59-year-old Dracut man and then struck a 2003 Honda Pilot occupied by a 55-year-old woman and a 55-year-old passenger head-on, according to state police.
The Honda, whose occupants were both from Lawrence, went on to strike a 2016 Toyota Rav4 occupied by a 58-year-old woman and a 27-year-old female passenger, both of whom were from Andover.
The driver of the Ford F-350 was uninjured.
The woman driving the Kia and the male passenger of the Honda were both declared dead at the scene. Neither of their names have been released.
The driver of the Honda was taken to Lawrence General Hospital with what were considered serious injuries.
The driver and passenger of the Toyota were both taken to Lawrence General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
All lanes of I-495 northbound were closed to traffic for about three hours while troopers investigated the crash and crews cleared the debris.
The incident is being investigated by the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, Andover Fire, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
This is a developing story; stay with 7News on air and online for the latest updates.
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