Cranston

1 killed, another seriously injured in Cranston, RI crash involving two vans

Part of Scituate Avenue was closed to traffic following the fatal crash.

Two vans are heavily damaged after they crashed into each other head-on on Scituate Avenue in Cranston, Rhode Island, on Monday, June 19, 2023, leaving one person dead.
WJAR

One person is dead and another seriously injured after a head-on collision involving two vans Monday night in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Cranston police confirmed the injuries to NBC affiliate WJAR, saying it appeared the vans were driving in opposite directions when one of the vehicles crossed the double yellow line, crashing into the other van on Scituate Avenue.

First responders used the Jaws of Life to remove two people from one of the vehicles, police told WJAR. The driver, identified by police as 61-year-old Garrison Gonzalez, of Leominster, Massachusetts, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and later pronounced dead.

The driver of the second van was not injured and was released from the scene, police said.

According to police, first responders were trying to determine how to remove one of the vans from the scene, as it contains highly flammable oxygen tanks -- three of which were leaking, WJAR reports.

Pictures from the scene show both vans suffered extensive front-end damage.

Part of Scituate Avenue was closed to traffic following the fatal crash.

Officials have not identified the person who was killed.

Police have not said what they believe caused one driver to cross over into oncoming traffic. An investigation into what happened remains ongoing.

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