Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Scott Quigley Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Woburn Crash

Scott Quigley, a suspended Massachusetts State Police sergeant and detective, pleaded not guilty on April 15, 2026, to motor vehicle homicide in Middlesex Superior Court. The charge stems from a December 12, 2023, crash in Woburn that resulted in the death of a passenger in another vehicle.

Prosecutors allege that Quigley was operating an unmarked police cruiser under the influence and negligently when he crossed the center line on Lexington Street. The cruiser struck an oncoming van carrying Angelo Schettino, a 37-year-old man with developmental disabilities who used a wheelchair. Schettino was being transported to a group home in Lynn at the time of the collision.

Schettino was hospitalized following the crash and died from his injuries one month later. Quigley and the driver of the van were also injured in the incident.

Investigation and Allegations of a Cover-Up

The case has drawn scrutiny due to allegations of a cover-up involving the Massachusetts State Police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s office. Quigley initially faced only a motor vehicle citation following the December 2023 crash.

Details regarding the severity of the incident emerged later after concerns about Quigley’s professional history caused the indefinite delay of a murder trial in Lowell, where he had served as the lead investigator. A subsequent independent investigation found that the State Police failed to officially notify prosecutors of Quigley’s alleged drunk driving.

The probe further revealed that State Police reports omitted critical information regarding the severity of the victims’ injuries. Documents from the Disabled Persons Protection Commission provided unclear details concerning the cause of Schettino’s death.

Michael Mahoney, the attorney representing Schettino’s family in a civil lawsuit, stated that the arraignment should have occurred two years ago and claimed that evidence gathering had been met with hurdles for several months.

Defense and Legal Proceedings

Quigley’s defense attorney, Christina Pujals Ronan, has maintained that the crash was a tragic accident and not a crime. Ronan argued that the 17-year police veteran was only aware that the crash caused minor injuries until the civil lawsuit brought further details to light.

Ronan also challenged the validity of the blood alcohol tests used by prosecutors, describing them as unreliable and stating they were never confirmed. She asserted that no medical personnel, including nurses, paramedics, or emergency room physicians, detected signs of impairment in Quigley on the day of the crash.

Because Quigley previously worked with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is currently investigating the case. This investigation includes an examination of how the State Police handled the incident.

Following his court appearance on April 15, 2026, Quigley was released on his own personal recognizance.