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Motorist charged in fatal crash
3 others in pickup are hurt on I-93

By Raja Mishra, Globe Staff | February 14, 2006

A man who authorities identified as a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Brazil was arraigned yesterday on drunken driving charges after a crash that killed one man and injured three others early Sunday on an Interstate 93 ramp in Boston.

Andre Ferreira, who lives in Longwood, N.J., and five friends had left a birthday celebration in which people drank alcohol on Saturday night when his pickup struck the wall of a ramp that connects the Ted Williams tunnel to I-93 south, authorities said.

Passenger Fabrizio Resendes, 26, was ejected from the Ford F350 pickup, striking a roadside railing and receiving fatal injuries.

Resendes did not have any family in the United States, but police informed relatives in Brazil of his death yesterday.

Also injured was Rosimiery Assis, 30, of South Easton, who was taken to Boston Medical Center with a broken arm. She is expected to be released today.

Daneila Freitas, 21, of New Jersey and Valni Oliveira, 24, of South Easton had minor injuries. Both were treated at Boston Medical Center and released.

A sixth passenger was uninjured. Other than Resendes, all the passengers were wearing seat belts, authorities said.

Ferreira, who was not injured, was charged with motor vehicle homicide by operating under the influence of alcohol as well as several other violations.

He was held yesterday on $200,000 cash bail. Even if he is able to post bail, he will be held by federal immigration authorities because he is in the country illegally, authorities said.

He will be deported at the end of his criminal proceeding, after he serves a prison term or following an acquittal, prosecutors said.

The party began at a home in an unidentified location and finished at a Revere nightclub, authorities said.

The crash occurred at 2:10 a.m. Sunday, just after snow began hitting the Boston area. But the weather was not a factor, authorities said.

''The evidence we have does not indicate that the weather played a role in the crash. It was fairly early in the storm," said David Procopio, a Suffolk district attorney's office spokesman.