Report: Man Charged Was 'Greatly Impaired'

The Northbridge man charged in the drunken driving crash that involved a Grafton woman who later died reportedly had four margaritas at Cancun’s in Grafton not long before the incident, according to police reports.

Richard V. Clark, 49, of 1167 Main St., Whitinsville, was charged with OUI liquor, OUI liquor causing serious injury, failure to keep to the right on a hill/obstructed view area and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

The charges stemmed from a crash at about 1:29 a.m. March 4 on Hill Street and Fowler Road in Northbridge.

Tracy Blizard, 35, of Grafton, who was driving the vehicle that collided with Clark’s pickup truck, died Saturday, April 14, at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester.

The district attorney is awaiting the medical examiner’s report to determine if the charges against Clark will be upgraded.

Blizard was trapped in her vehicle but conscious when police arrived, according to the police report. She told officers she was unhurt but was unable to get out, the report said. A police officer stood by her until the fire department arrived to extract her from the vehicle, the report said.

She said she was traveling on Hill Street toward Grafton when a pick-up truck headed toward her in her lane, according to the police report. She said the truck swerved but hit her, the report said.

A later review of physical evidence at the scene confirmed her account that the point of impact was over the center line and in her northbound lane, the report said.

The next morning, police were informed by a relative of Blizard that she was awaiting surgery. She had suffered two broken ribs and a broken leg and had an issue with liver damage, internal bleeding and a possible vertebrae fracture, according to the document.

When Clark was taken for booking, he told police he wouldn't pass the sobriety tests because "he had a lot to drink.'' He was unsteady on his feet, unfocused and his ability to operate a motor vehicle was "greatly impaired,'' the police report said.

A bartender at Cancun’s said Clark had four margaritas and that he was refused another drink when he requested one.

The bartender said Clark “seemed fine’’ when he left and that he thanked the staff and left. He left the establishment at about 12:15 to 12:20 a.m.

“It is unknown if the couple traveled elsewhere as this would leave a gap of slightly more than an hour before the accident,’’ the report said. “Travel time between the restaurant and the site of the accident should not exceed 15 minutes.’’

A woman who was traveling with Clark told police “he wasn’t bad’’ and that “he had a couple of drinks but ate a lot of food,’’ the report said.

She said he is on Oxycodone for kidney cancer and did not know if that played a role in the crash, the report said.