A Massachusetts district attorney’s report says a heavily intoxicated wrong-way driver who killed a state trooper in a head-on crash had been served nine alcoholic beverages at a restaurant before ignoring multiple warning signs and driving the wrong way onto a highway.
Hernan Marrero, 50, of Roslindale, had a blood alcohol level of 0.192 — more than twice the legal limit — when his Jeep Wrangler collided head-on with Trooper Kevin Trainor’s cruiser at about 2:04 a.m. on May 6 in Lynnfield, according to the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.
Both Marrero and Trainor, a 30-year-old Massachusetts state trooper from Georgetown, were killed in the crash.
Investigators said Trooper Kevin Trainor had just completed a public safety detail when his cruiser was hit by a wrong-way driver on Route 1. (Massachusetts State Police)
The newly released report traces Marrero’s movements in the hours before the fatal collision. Investigators said he initially went to a restaurant in Waltham, where he purchased food and was given one complimentary drink before closing his tab at 7:42 p.m. From there, he drove to Tribu Mexican Kitchen and Bar on Route 1 North in Saugus, sat down at the bar at 9:15 p.m. and was served a margarita five minutes later.
According to the district attorney’s report, Marrero later shared a photo of a margarita on social media with the caption, “Second stop!!!”
Investigators determined that Marrero was served nine alcoholic drinks at Tribu between 9:20 p.m. and 12:53 a.m.
The report states that Hernan Marrero traveled 1.8 miles in the wrong direction on Route 1 before striking Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor’s cruiser head-on, killing both men. (Massachusetts State Police)
The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has issued a notice to Tribu alleging multiple civil violations, including serving alcoholic drinks after hours and serving free drinks, according to the report. A hearing is scheduled for July 28.
The DA’s office said that after reviewing the case under applicable legal standards, criminal charges are “not sustainable.”
Marrero left the Tribu parking lot at 1:56 a.m. and drove north on Route 1 for about 2.3 miles before entering a jughandle near Santarpio’s Pizza in Peabody that allows drivers to reverse direction onto Route 1 south.
But instead of properly entering the southbound side, Marrero grazed a guardrail, ran a red light and made too sharp a left turn before re-entering the northbound lanes while driving south, the report said.
Investigators said the area had clear and unobstructed “WRONG WAY,” “DO NOT ENTER” and “ONE WAY” signs directing motorists not to enter Route 1 north from the jughandle.
Marrero then drove 1.8 miles southbound in the northbound lane.
A truck driver who saw the Jeep pass called 911, and another trooper broadcast a warning about the wrong-way driver to the State Police Danvers barracks and area cruisers, according to the report.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30, was killed May 6 when a drunken wrong-way driver crashed head-on into his cruiser on Route 1 in Lynnfield, prosecutors said. (Massachusetts State Police)
Trainor, who had just finished a public safety detail and clocked out at 1:52 a.m., had his cruiser radio on and set to the channel where the warnings were broadcast.
His cruiser was the first to encounter Marrero’s Jeep.
The vehicles collided head-on, with Trainor’s cruiser traveling between 60.4 and 68.6 mph and Marrero’s Jeep traveling between 56.4 and 61.4 mph at impact, investigators found.
Crash reconstructionists determined that Marrero’s wrong-way driving was not caused by any vehicle defect or problem with the posted signage.
Instead, they concluded that the crash was caused by Marrero’s actions and that his wrong-way operation of the Jeep resulted in both his own death and Trainor’s line-of-duty death.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor likely prevented a greater tragedy before he was killed in a head-on crash with a wrong-way driver on Route 1, the Essex County district attorney said. (Massachusetts State Police)
Tucker said the evidence shows Trainor acted with “exemplary courage and self-sacrifice.”
“His willingness to put his own life at risk to serve and protect the citizens of the Commonwealth likely prevented an even greater tragedy,” Tucker said.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said that Trainor was the “best of Massachusetts.”
“Trooper Kevin Trainor was the best of Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Salem State and the State Police Academy. He wore the French and Electric Blue with pride. He was a son, a brother, a fiancé, a coach and a mentor. On and off the job, he was the kind of person you could count on. When people needed help, he answered the call without hesitation. That’s what makes him a hero.”
“His life was cut far too short, but his legacy of courage, service and selflessness will live on in all the lives he saved. As we lay Trooper Trainor to rest, my heart is with his family, his fellow Troopers and everyone who had the privilege to know and serve alongside him. May God Bless the men and women of the Massachusetts State Police.”
