FRANKLIN, Mass. — A man charged in connection with a weekend crash in Franklin that left a young girl dead and two of her family members seriously injured is slated to face a judge on Tuesday.
James N. Blanchard, 21, of Franklin, is slated to be arraigned in Wrentham District Court on charges including motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol, three counts of operating under the influence of alcohol and causing serious bodily injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol, and a marked lanes violation, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey.
Officers responding to the area of 76 Grove Street just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday found a pickup truck that had collided with a sedan, Franklin Police Chief Thomas J. Lynch said.
The girl, whose name hasn’t been released, was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her mother and brother were hospitalized with serious injuries, while her father was treated and released.
The driver of the pickup truck, later identified as Blanchard, was arrested at the scene and ordered held on $500,000 bail pending his court appearance.
A memorial of flowers and stuffed animals quickly grew at the scene of the crash.
“It’s just such a tragedy,” Franklin Town Council Chairman Tom Mercer said. “The devastation is being felt across the entire community.”
The crash remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
