Wrong-Way Crash on Lowell Connector Claims Life, Driver Faces Drunk Driving Charges
The city of Lowell, Massachusetts, awoke to tragedy in the early morning hours of Sunday after a violent wrong-way crash left one person dead and two others hospitalized. The collision occurred around 1:15 a.m. along the Lowell Connector, a short but high-speed highway linking Interstate 495 and Route 3 to downtown Lowell.
State Police said the crash unfolded near Exit 5A, when a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction collided head-on with another car. The impact was so severe that all inbound lanes of the Connector were immediately shut down to traffic. Cleanup, evidence collection, and vehicle removal kept the highway closed until about 4 a.m., with detours in place through downtown Lowell and the nearby Thorndike Street area.
Investigators identified the wrong-way driver as Derek Witzenman, 29, of Woburn, Massachusetts. According to preliminary findings, Witzenman was driving outbound in the inbound lanes, heading directly against oncoming traffic at high speed. Officers on scene reported strong indications that Witzenman had been under the influence of alcohol. He was taken into custody shortly after the crash and later charged with operating under the influence of liquor and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
The second vehicle, which bore the brunt of the collision, carried two people — a driver and a passenger — both of whom sustained life-threatening injuries. Emergency responders from Lowell Fire Department, Trinity EMS, and Massachusetts State Police arrived within minutes of multiple 911 calls reporting the fiery crash. Rescuers used hydraulic tools to extract both victims from the wreckage, which was heavily damaged from the frontal impact.
Both injured occupants were rushed first to Lowell General Hospital, where doctors stabilized them before arranging an emergency airlift to Boston for advanced trauma care. Despite those efforts, the driver of the struck vehicle later passed from crash-related injuries at the Boston hospital. Authorities have withheld the victim’s name to give family members time to receive formal notification and grieve privately.
The passenger remains hospitalized, according to officials, with serious but not immediately life-threatening injuries. Police have not released additional identifying information pending family consent and ongoing medical evaluation.
The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS) is leading the ongoing investigation, supported by the Lowell Police Department and Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. Investigators are now working to trace the exact movements of Witzenman’s vehicle prior to the crash, including how far he traveled in the wrong direction before impact. Authorities believe he may have entered the Lowell Connector from the Plain Street ramp, but confirmation awaits full review of highway surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts.
Witzenman was treated for minor injuries before being booked at the State Police Barracks in Andover. His arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in Lowell District Court, where prosecutors are expected to pursue additional charges pending the outcome of the investigation and the victim’s confirmed identity.
Residents of both Lowell and Woburn have expressed shock and sadness over the incident, which adds to a troubling rise in wrong-way crashes across Massachusetts highways in recent months. Officials are once again urging drivers to designate sober rides, emphasizing that wrong-way collisions are among the most lethal types of roadway incidents due to their force and unpredictability.
The tragedy has left the victim’s family and the broader community in mourning. Friends and neighbors have begun leaving flowers near the Connector entrance ramp in silent tribute. “Our hearts are with the loved ones of those affected,” said a Lowell Police spokesperson. “This is a painful reminder of how one decision can change many lives forever.”
As the investigation continues, police encourage anyone who witnessed the crash or saw a dark-colored sedan traveling the wrong way early Sunday morning to contact the Massachusetts State Police Troop A headquarters.
The Lowell Connector, known for its short length and heavy commuter use, reopened before dawn, but the sorrow of the night’s events lingers across the region.