Mickey Rivera/Fall River Police Photo
BARNSTABLE – Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe says an Assistant District Attorney handling a case involving 22 year old Mickey Rivera of Fall River made a mistake in a drunk driving case by not requesting Rivera be held on bail at a court appearance in June.
Rivera was one of the drivers involved in a two car crash Saturday morning that killed him and 32 year old Mashpee resident Kevin Quinn.
A passenger in Rivera’s vehicle, 24 year Jocelyn Goyette, of New Bedford, was taken to a Boston hospital with critical injuries, authorities have not confirmed her current status.
O’Keefe says the new prosecutor had only been on the job for a month and someone with more experience would probably have handled it differently, but even if the prosecution had requested bail in the case, there was no guarantee Rivera would have been held.
O’Keefe said the Assistant District Attorney should have pursued the matter further considering Rivera’s previous record.
At the time of the crash, at the Barnstable-Mashpee town line, Rivera died at the scene, Quinn later died at South Shore Hospital.
Prior to the crash, Rivera’s vehicle was seen at the Mashpee Rotary being pursued by Mashpee police.
According to police radio transmissions, police said he was driving erratically and failing to observe stop signs.
In the case handled by O’Keefe’s office, Rivera was charged with operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and marked lanes violation, he was arrested June 2nd by State Police in Barnstable.
In addition, Rivera was suspected as an accomplice in a murder in Fall River in 2015, he had a scheduled court appearance in Fall River in that case this week.
Mashpee police have been tight lipped about the pursuit saying the investigation is ongoing.
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