YARMOUTH -On Monday at approximately 12:21 p.m., Yarmouth Police Officers and Firefighters were dispatched to the area of Great Western Road and Wolfson Road in South Yarmouth for a report of a two vehicle accident.
Yarmouth Police Department Patrol Officer Richard Aprea arrived at the scene and found a red Ford Ranger pickup truck with heavy front end damage facing eastbound in the westbound lane in the area of 84 Great Western Road. This vehicle was up against a large blue Mercedes van which was in the westbound lane flipped onto the driver’s side.
There were several people around the scene. People were shouting that there was a male unconscious and still in the van. Patrol Officer Aprea observed a person standing on the flipped over Mercedes van holding the passenger side door open. He was later identified as John McLaughlin who is also the owner of the red Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Patrol Officer Aprea requested additional assistance and further reported that there was an unconscious person still trapped in the vehicle and a utility pole down and wires across the roadway. Patrol Officer Aprea climbed up on the turned over vehicle and looked inside and observed an unconscious male up against the driver’s door who was later identified as Jonathan J. Looney. Looney’s skin tone looked cyanotic and he appeared to have agonal breathing. Patrol Officer Aprea then climbed down into the passenger compartment where Looney was determined that he had a weak pulse with continued agonal breathing. Patrol Officer Aprea attempted to free Looney’s legs but they were trapped underneath the steering wheel and various tools that had been thrown about the passenger compartment. Within seconds, Patrol Officer Nicholas Giammarco arrived on scene as well as members of the Yarmouth Fire Department.
Yarmouth Fire Department personnel were able to cut off the windshield of the vehicle and free Looney from inside. Just before he was freed, Looney was given a dose of Narcan and subsequently transported to Cape Cod Hospital by YFD ambulance for further treatment.
The scene was secured and traffic detoured for several hours. Barnstable Police Department Patrol Officer Matt Lounsbury arrived to on the scene to provide Crash Reconstruction services and Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigator Tim Wallace also arrived for evidence collection services
The investigation determined that Looney had admitted to snorting heroin just prior to the crash and he overdosed causing him to lose consciousness. His vehicle veered off the roadway and he first struck the utility pole at the intersection of Great Western Road and Wolfson Road. The force sheered the pole in half. His vehicle kept going after striking the pole and then crashed into McLaughlin’s parked vehicle. This collision pushed McLaughlin’s truck about 10-15 yards and the van then tipped over onto the driver’s side where it came to a rest. There was no visible brake or yaw marks in the roadway, indicating Looney never pressed the brakes before the collision with the pole.
Mid Cape Collision was called to the scene to tow both vehicles.
Utility crews worked throughout the afternoon and evening to repair all the damage and restore power to the area.
Looney is charged with operating under the influence of drugs, operating recklessly to endanger and marled lanes violation, He will be summoned to court at a later daye. In addition, Yarmouth Police submitted an Immediate Threat Report to the Registry of Motor Vehicles requesting immediate suspension of Looney’s license.
Media release and mugshot furnished by Yarmouth Police
Material from Yarmouth Police used in this report; Photos by CWN associate Jerry Mossey
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