DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Pixy and Charles Griffin were driving down 195 in Dartmouth on Monday morning, in separate cars, when they witnessed a plane crash in the middle of the highway.
“It’s a Monday morning, you know everyone’s going to work, they’re minding their business and all you see is smoke and fire, no one’s expecting that,” said Pixy Griffin.
Like many others driving around 8 AM, they were shocked to see an airplane crash in the middle of the highway, with pieces of it igniting fires across the road and into the woods.
“All of a sudden I just see a cloud of smoke, and then a mushroom cloud and bright red flames,” said Charles Griffin.
Charles also had their two daughters, just one month old and 2 years old in the back seat.
“I had my two girls in the car too and we were seconds behind that plane crash, and it would have ripped through our truck too,” said Charles Griffin.
Police say a married couple from Rhode Island was killed in that plane.
Investigators identified them as Thomas and Agatha Perkins from Middletown, RI, both in their sixties.
Police also say a woman driving a car was hurt in the crash, but her family tells Boston 25 she was treated and released from the hospital.
“It was totally messed up and mangled, clearly totaled it definitely looked like it took a pretty good hit,” said Charles Griffin about the car that was struck in this crash.
The Bristol County District Attorney’s office says the single-engine plane took off from the New Bedford airport, and it crashed in the median on 195 by the Reed Road exit.
Police shut down the highway for hours on Monday to launch an investigation into how this happened.
“I was super scared, I’m crying because I’m like oh my goodness, something huge happened, I didn’t know what was going on it was just a very traumatic experience,” said Pixy Griffin.
Police say all lanes have reopened on 195, except the left eastbound lane will remain closed as state police protect the scene overnight until Federal Investigators arrive Tuesday to continue the investigation into what caused the plane to go down.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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