Melrose Man Faces OUI and Homicide Charges After Fatal Crash

A taxi driver was killed and a six-year-old boy was injured on Route 1 in Lynnfield on Friday night after police said a Melrose driver operating under the influence of narcotics struck an active crash site.

Victor Vargas, 42, of Lynn, was standing in the breakdown lane inspecting damage from an accident that occurred moments earlier when he was hit by a Chrysler Pacifica piloted by William Halpin III, 25, of Melrose, State Police said in a release.

Vargas suffered severe injuries, and was transported to North Shore Medical Center-Lynn Union Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Police said Halpin also struck a Chevy Cobalt at the scene, seriously injuring the arm of a six-year-old boy inside.

Two other passengers in the Cobalt, a Framingham woman and a three-year-old boy, were not injured. The Cobalt’s driver, Patricia Ediamen, 30, of North Andover was standing outside the vehicle to inspect damage and was also uninjured, police said.

Halpin was charged with operating under the influence of drugs (his second offense), motor vehicle homicide while under the influence, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute, speeding, and a marked lanes violation, police said.

In their release, State Police said the Danvers barracks received a call at 8:03 p.m. Friday from a woman who said she had just been “hit” on Route 1 northbound in Lynnfield.

“While she was still on the phone, the trooper speaking to her heard tires screeching and the phone went dead,” the release said.

Troopers rushed to the scene and found Vargas dead outside his taxi.

Halpin was taken into custody and will be arraigned Monday at Peabody District Court, the release said.