PLAINVILLE — Massachusetts State Police said a man stole a Jeep from Gillette Stadium during Kenny Chesney’s concert Saturday night and then plowed into a family of six stopped at a red light, killing a 10-year-old boy.
The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Route 1 and Interstate 495 in Plainville. State police said Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford, was speeding in a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashed into the family’s Nissan Altima.
A man and woman were in the Nissan with their four children when they were hit by the stolen Jeep. The impact of the crash also damaged three other cars.
Massachusetts State Police officers working at the Kenny Chesney concert responded to the crash, along with Plainville police and seven ambulances from across the region.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office said all six family members were rushed to the hospital, as was Escolas. The 10-year-old boy was later pronounced dead.
The extent of the injuries to the boy’s parents and siblings has not been released.
Investigators said the Jeep belonged to a Vermont couple who were attending the concert at Gillette Stadium. Kenny Chesney will perform again in Foxboro on Sunday night, the last of three concerts this weekend at Gillette Stadium.
Escolas is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges of vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol, motor vehicle theft and other charges. He is currently being held on $25,000 cash bail.
A Gillette Stadium spokesperson released a statement following the accident.
We are deeply saddened and extend our deepest condolences to the family who have tragically lost their loved one. We are working with the Massachusetts State Police, who are conducting the investigation under the jurisdiction of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. Once again, we offer our deepest condolences to the family.
No additional information is currently available.
