South Yarmouth Man Charged with Vehicular Homicide in West Yarmouth Crash

Paul Dennehy, 55, of South Yarmouth. Photo courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

Paul Dennehy, 55, of South Yarmouth. Photo courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

WEST YARMOUTH – A South Yarmouth man was charged with motor vehicle homicide after his van struck and killed a Westfield man on Route 28 in West Yarmouth near Parkers River Bridge.

Paul G. Dennehy, 55, is scheduled for arraignment in the Barnstable District Court Monday morning on motor vehicle homicide, OUI liquor; and OUI liquor with serious injury.

 

Kevin J. Regan, 62, a firefighter, was later pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital.

A second pedestrian, Lynda M. Cavanaugh, 62, also of Westfield, was seriously injured and was flown to a Boston area hospital. She is expected to survive.

Police said Paul Dennehy, 55, was driving under the influence when he hit Regan and Cavanaugh who were crossing Route 28.

Yarmouth Police and Fire departments responded to the crash at 11:43 p.m.

Yarmouth Police Patrol Officer Sean Geary reported that he found a man, later determined to be Regan, lying on his back in the middle of the roadway with serious injuries and not breathing but with a faint pulse. Officer Geary then ran over to the second victim, later determined to be Cavanaugh, lying face down over the fog line suffering from head injuries. She was able to speak and was being assisted by a citizen who had stopped to assist.

Police say, Officer Geary returned to Regan and, with the assistance of Yarmouth Police Patrol Officer Kevin Antonovitch, immediately began CPR.

After several more cycles of CPR, the Yarmouth Fire Department arrived on scene and provided immediate advanced life support and subsequently transported Regan to Cape Cod Hospital. Cavanaugh was also treated by members of the Yarmouth Fire Department and also transported to CCH.

Cavanaugh, who had multiple traumatic injuries, was then taken by medflight to a Boston area hospital, according to Yarmouth Fire Captain Roupen Baker.

Police say Dennehy,  the driver of the vehicle that struck the two pedestrians, remained at the scene.

Police say Dennehy, who was operating a blue 2009 Ford Econovan E150, was interviewed and police observed several signs of intoxication. Police say Dennehy admitted to drinking earlier at two West Yarmouth establishments. Patrol Officer Geary administered a series of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests with included the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus—Walk and Turn—One Leg Stand—and Preliminary Breath Test.

Police determined that Dennehy was intoxicated and placed under arrest and transported to Yarmouth Police Headquarters for booking.

Route 28 was closed in the area for about two hours Saturday night and into Sunday morning as crews were investigating.

Dennehy is scheduled for arraignment today in Barnstable District Court on charges of motor vehicle homicide OUI and OUI with serious injury.

Police said this is the second fatal crash within 24 hours in Yarmouth that included alcoholic beverage usage.

Yarmouth Police Patrol Officer Sean Geary was the first Officer to arrive on scene, followed by Patrol Officers Kevin Antonovitch, Connor Burnham, Paulo Cruz, Richard Fichter and Patrol Sergeant Frank Hennessey.

Several additional officers subsequently arrived on scene to assist with the investigation including Deputy Chief Steven Xiarhos, Lieutenant Patrick Carty, Patrol Officers Gordon Gibbons and Nicholas Giammarco, as well as Troopers from the Massachusetts State Police.

Yarmouth Police Department Patrol Officer Gibbons, who is also a Crash Reconstruction Specialist and member of the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Crash Reconstruction Unit, is conducting a crash reconstruction investigation.  Yarmouth Police Department Detective Christopher Kent is conducting a follow-up investigation.

Members of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department provided Crime Scene Services and the vehicle was towed to the Yarmouth Police Department Headquarters by Silver Cloud Towing Company and is being held as evidence.

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact Yarmouth Police Detective Christopher Kent at 508-775-0445.

 



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