Middleboro man, 20, dies from injuries received in car crash

MIDDLEBORO — A 20-year-old Middleboro man died Thursday, March 20 at Boston Medical Center from injuries he suffered in a car crash two days earlier in Taunton.

Richard “R.J.’’ Blanchette Jr. succumbed to injuries he received when the Dodge Charger he was driving was involved in a three-vehicle crash on Somerset Avenue in Taunton, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn announced on Friday March 21.

Taunton Police and EMS responded to an accident near 1070 Somerset Ave. in Taunton at about 6:10 p.m. Tuesday March 18. Police reported three vehicles were involved.

Blanchette, a lifelong Middleboro resident,  graduated from Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School in 2022, where he studied metal fabrication and welding. He worked as a garage door installer for Mortland Door Systems.

He graduated from Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School in the class of 2022, where he honed his skills in Metal Fabrication and Welding. He took great pride in his work as a garage door installer for Mortland Door Systems, where he became known for his dedication and craftsmanship.

He enjoyed driving and working on his beloved car, engaging in welding projects, and expressing his creativity through music on the guitar, according to his obituary. He treasured time spent fishing, building model cars, and creating memories with his girlfriend, Adriana, and his devoted pets, his cat Jack and dog Lilly. 

The 2018 gray Dodge Charger driven by Blanchette had extensive front-end damage. A female passenger in the vehicle was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Her condition was not reported.

The female driver of a 2008 Toyota Camry involved in the crash suffered serious injuries and remains in critical but stable condition, Quinn said. Her vehicle also had extensive damage to its front end.

The driver of the third vehicle involved, a 2021 Ram pick-up truck with driver’s side damage along the back end of the vehicle, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. 

The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office along with the Taunton Police Department.