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Adam Gauthier and Somerset woman sued over head-on collision on Christmas

The estate of a family of three killed in a head-on collision on the Veterans Memorial Bridge last Christmas has sued the driver involved in the crash, a Somerset resident accused of serving them alcohol, and the company that rented them a car.

Carl Rebello of Dighton and Lisa Arruda-Graham of Johnston, Rhode Island, filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit in Bristol County Superior Court in March, representing the estates of Floriano Arruda, Donna Arruda and Jacoby Arruda of Seekonk.

They are demanding compensation for damages in connection with the culpable killing of all three persons; the amount is not specified in the lawsuit.

The Arrudas were killed on Christmas night when their car collided head-on with a Range Rover traveling in the opposite direction on the Veterans Memorial Bridge between Somerset and Fall River.

Jacoby Arruda died that night at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River. His grandfather died the next day at Rhode Island Hospital; his grandmother succumbed to her injuries a few days later on December 29.

The driver of the Range Rover, Adam Gauthier, 41, formerly of Somerset and now a Manhattan resident, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. He was arraigned from his hospital bed at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford the day after the crash. He was charged with drunken driving, manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and other charges.

Gauthier is free on $100,000 bail. His criminal case is pending.

Gauthier in court: Former Somerset man accused of alleged drink-driving crash that left three dead back in court

What is the relationship between the plaintiffs in civil proceedings and the victims?

Rebello is the son of Donna Arruda; Arruda-Graham is the daughter of Floriano Arruda. They are uncle and aunt of Jacoby Arruda, the grandson of Floriano and Donna.

What happened on Christmas night, according to the civil lawsuit?

The lawsuit alleges that on the night of the accident, Gauthier was served “his last drink before consuming alcohol at the home of defendant Margaret R. Souza” on Slade Street in Somerset.

After leaving Souza's house, the complaint states, Gauthier drove a 2023 Range Rover SUV eastbound on the west side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge – from the Somerset side to the Fall River side.

Floriano Arruda drove the family SUV across the bridge from Fall River to Somerset, with Donna in the passenger seat and Jacoby in the back seat.

The lawsuit alleges that the accident was caused by Gauthier's “carelessness, recklessness, negligence, gross negligence, arbitrariness, wantonness and illegality,” resulting in the deaths of all three family members.

Who else is named in the lawsuit?

The lawsuit accuses Souza of violating host liability laws.

It alleges that she served Gauthier alcohol in her home “even though she knew or should have known that the defendant Gauthier was intoxicated and would subsequently drive a motor vehicle on a public road.”

Souza has denied the allegations.

The lawsuit also names New York-based GoRealCar Inc. as a defendant. RealCar is a service that offers high-end luxury vehicles for rent, including Land Rovers, Porsches and Maseratis. Gauthier used the service to rent the 2023 Range Rover he was driving.

The lawsuit relies on a Massachusetts state law that allows the owner and registration holder of a vehicle to be held legally liable if they seek compensation following a collision that results in personal injury or death.

What do the defendants say?

Of the three defendants, only Souza has so far filed a response to the lawsuit.

Souza's lawyers state that she “admits that Gauthier consumed alcoholic beverages at a holiday family gathering at her home on December 25, 2023.”

However, she denies the claim that she knew that Gauthier was allegedly drunk and wanted to drive.

Souza also says she has no way of knowing whether Gauthier allegedly had his “last drink before drinking alcohol” at her house.

The complaint calls for a jury trial. The case is still pending.

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