of the post.
The Hopkinton Police have issued an arrest warrant for Keith A. Brown, a 34-year-old from Fall River, MA, and Hope Valley, RI. He is charged with driving under the influence, which resulted in the death of another person, and driving recklessly, which resulted in serious injury, as a result of an accident that occurred on October 31, 2021. However, on December 3, 2021, Mr. Brown failed to appear for his arraignment in 4th District Court, as previously agreed through his attorney. Following his absence, the Hopkinton Police contacted the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force (VFTF) and put Mr. Brown on Rhode Island’s most-wanted list. VFTF and HPD conducted a comprehensive search and ultimately discovered Mr. Brown at the Quality Inn in Seekonk, MA. On January 26, 2022, Mr. Brown was located by members of the VFTF and the MA Apprehension Squad in Room 137 under a false name. Following his arrest, he will be arraigned for Fugitive From Justice in Fall River District Court by the Massachusetts State Police. Depending on whether Mr. Brown waives extradition to Rhode Island, his extradition timing will determine when he will be arraigned in 4th DC for the charges mentioned earlier.
The accident in question took place on October 31, 2021. At 2:34 p.m., the Hopkinton Police Department, Hope Valley Fire Department, Hope Valley Ambulance, and West Greenwich Ambulance responded to the scene of the crash on Route 138 (Spring Street) in front of 169 Spring Street, where a head-on collision had occurred. The driver of one of the vehicles was identified as Alexandrea Martino, age 57, of Westerly, R.I., who was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee SUV in an easterly direction on Spring Street. Her passenger was her mother, Elisabeth Thayer, age 88, of Westerly, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death was determined to be Multiple Traumatic Injuries from Blunt Force Impact (MVA).
The other vehicle involved was a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV driven by Keith Brown, age 34. He was driving in the opposite direction of Ms. Martino’s Jeep Cherokee, traveling westward. Mr. Brown suffered injuries to his arm, legs, and ribs and was rushed to the RI Hospital, where he was admitted for about a month. His passenger, a 35-year-old Richmond resident, was also treated for evaluation at Kent County Hospital and discharged.
During the accident investigation, Detective Ahern of the Hopkinton Police Department led the team as they reconstructed the crash, with support from the Rhode Island State Police. Upon review of the reconstruction, it was discovered that Mr. Brown’s vehicle was several feet left of center, with no apparent cause. Later, it was revealed by a witness that just before the deadly accident, Mr. Brown’s vehicle was going left of center and then swerved back into his own lane. The witness was forced to swerve to avoid a collision. A search warrant for Mr. Brown’s blood and vehicle was granted by Magistrate J. Patrick O’Neill. The toxicology report from the RI Department of Health indicated that Mr. Brown’s blood contained Fentanyl and Methadone.