Manslaughter charges filed against Attleboro fatal driver

ATTLEBORO — Police are bumping up the charges against a suspected drunken driver accused of speeding erratically on Route 152 from Plainville into Attleboro forcing other motorists to take evasive action before plowing head on into a car in a horrific crash that killed a North Attleboro mother.

Jason A. Kwolek, 32, of Pawtucket, is now being charged with manslaughter in addition to drunken driving and motor vehicle homicide in the death of 24-year-old Kaisha Lynn Guerrini, a former Norton woman who was the mother of a 3-year-old son and an active member of the Army National Guard.

Authorities said they could not go into details about why the charges were increased. But The Sun Chronicle learned witnesses told police that a Jeep matching the description of Kwolek's forced them to swerve to avoid a collision near Route 1 Thursday night as he sped south on Route 152 before allegedly causing a minor accident near the Route 106 intersection in Plainville.

Witnesses told investigators the Jeep was passing cars on Route 152 in Plainville in no-passing zones, swerving up on curbs and almost rear-ending other cars as it traveled south toward Attleboro at speeds estimated at up to 70 mph. One of the witnesses stopped to help the victim in the crash near Route 106 where no injuries were reported.

Police say Kwolek's 2006 Jeep Commander allegedly crossed the center line heading south into the path of Guerrini's northbound 2002 Saturn on Route 152, near Wamsutta Road in Attleboro. The crash was so violent both vehicles landed in nearby front yards and sustained heavy damage.

Both Kwolek and Guerrini had to be cut out of their vehicles by firefighters using power cutting tools. Kwolek suffered minor injuries, while Guerrini suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead early Friday morning, about two hours after the crash at 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Attleboro Detective Sgt. Arthur Brillon said the decision to charge Kwolek with manslaughter came after Detective Sgt. James MacDonald consulted with investigators at the Bristol County District Attorney's Office. He deferred questions to the district attorney's office.

"I can't go into the specifics because he hasn't been arraigned yet. In any case like this, you look at the evidence as it comes in," said Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, adding that authorities had the weekend to review the evidence.

Kwolek allegedly told investigators he had one beer and one margarita and was coming from Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill at Patriot Place in Foxboro before the crash, according to a police report.

He was ordered held at the police station on $ 50,000 cash bail and faces arraignment in Attleboro District Court Tuesday afternoon.

His lawyer, Kevin Reddington of Brockton, described Kwolek as a hard-working family man with a career in the banking industry who is innocent until proven guilty.

"He feels horrible. A young, beautiful woman died. It's a terrible case. He's just a very decent guy who had an accident and he has to live with that for the rest of his life," Reddington said today.

He said Kwolek, who is formerly of Seekonk, has no criminal record and is the married father of a 2-year-old son and his wife's child from a previous relationship.

When asked about the allegation that his client was drunk, Reddington replied: "It's exactly that. An allegation."

Reddington said he is waiting for police reports and the results of a state police accident reconstruction investigation.

Kwolek waived his right to a rendition hearing today in Providence District Court and was returned to the Attleboro police station by Brillon and MacDonald. He did not respond to a reporter's questions as he was being led into the police station.

The maximum punishment upon conviction for motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk is 15 years. The maximum for manslaughter by motor vehicle is 20 years.

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