Crime & Safety

State Police: Man Electrically Shocked on I-95 Thursday Identified; Remains in Hospital

Massachusetts State Police say Joseph O. Irorere, 45, of Brockton suffered electric shock after his truck struck sagging power lines on Rte. I-95 in Attleboro Thursday.

Massachusetts State Police have identified the man who was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital Thursday following an .

“The driver of the northbound 2001 Mack 600 tractor-trailer, who received an electrical shock after his truck struck sagging power lines on Route 95 in Attleboro, is Joseph O. Irorere, 45, of Brockton,” said David Procopio, spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police, in a press release Friday morning. “The most recent information State Police Media Relations has received is that he remains at Sturdy Memorial Hospital.”

State Police say a “preliminary investigation indicates the wires sagged as a result of a structural issue on a utility pole set back from the highway.”

“State Police will have no further comment on the nature and cause of the structural issue,” said Procopio. “All further inquiries should be directed to the utility company.”

Find out what's happening in Wrenthamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Thursday’s accident occurred just after 3 p.m. between exits 4 and 5 on Rte. 95 in Attleboro after Irorere’s tractor-trailer struck power lines on the northbound side of Rte. 95 and stopped. A second tractor-trailer – 2004 Volvo –operated by David Meltz, 55, of Prospect Hill, N.C. struck the power lines from the southbound side of Rte. 95 and stopped.

Irorere reportedly exited the truck and suffered an electric shock. He was transported by ambulance to Sturdy Memorial Hospital, according to state police.

Find out what's happening in Wrenthamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At least four other passenger cars were damaged during this incident, according to state police. All lanes of Route 95 both north and south were reopened at 5:30 p.m. after being shut down for nearly two-and-a-half hours. The accident caused at least a 2-mile backup, affecting traffic on Route 1 and Route 140 in Foxborough.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Wrentham