TAUNTON — Middleboro resident Lori Ann Medeiros, 54, was killed Monday, Nov. 7 following a crash on Kingman Road in Taunton that led to charges against the other driver, according to information provided by the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.

Hector Fernando Bannister-Sanchez, 34, of Medford and Norton, was charged with manslaughter, reckless motor vehicle homicide and negligent motor vehicle homicide following the crash.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, members of a Massachusetts State Police narcotics task force attempted to stop a motor vehicle in Middleboro being operated by Bannister-Sanchez, who was the target of an ongoing investigation, according to information provided by the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.

Bannister-Sanchez, who was driving a 2017 Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicle,  reportedly fled the attempted stop and drove away at a high rate of speed. 

The task force members did not pursue Bannister-Sanchez according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.

Several minutes later, his vehicle crashed into a Ford Fusion being operated by Medeiros on Kingman Road in Taunton. She died as a result of the crash.

Bannister-Sanchez was transported to Morton Hospital in Taunton for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. 

He was arraigned Tuesday, Nov. 8  in Taunton District Court.

A district court judge ordered his bail on a pending drug trafficking case be revoked, so he will be held without bail for 90 days. At the time of Monday’s incident, Bannister-Sanchez was out on bail for a Bristol County Superior court case on charges of trafficking a Class A Drug, Possession with Intent to District Cocaine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

 The judge also temporarily held Bannister-Sanchez without bail on the new case until he hires his own defense attorney. The matter was continued to Dec. 8.

 Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said this case is another example of why the Legislature must act to amend the dangerousness statute

“This case highlights the urgent need to amend the dangerousness statute, which I’ve advocated for years,’’ Quinn said. “The facts and circumstances of this case are egregious. On top of it, the defendant is out on bail for a Superior Court drug trafficking case and is out on probation for other drug offenses,” Quinn said.  

The Supreme Judicial Court has recently ruled that manslaughter is not a crime for which a dangerousness hearing can be requested. 

“The crime of manslaughter must be added to the dangerousness statute, along with other crimes like rape of a child,’’ Quinn said. “This is unacceptable and needs to be changed by the Legislature. This defendant is clearly dangerous and should be held without bail until his cases are resolved.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn O’Leary.

 The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to Quinn's office, prosecutors, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and Taunton Police.