Triple Fatal Fiery Crash On I-84 Takes Lives Of MA, NH, FL Women

STURBRIDGE, MA — Three women died after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 84 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, on Saturday, according to Mass. State Police.

Troopers were sent to the area of Exit 6B around 6 p.m. for a report of a wrong-way driver crash where three people were seriously injured.

"Lifesaving efforts were immediately attempted by responding cruisers," according to state police, "however, the crash resulted in fatal injuries to one occupant in one vehicle and two occupants in a second vehicle."

On Sunday, toopers identified the women as Deyja Jackson, 40, of Worcester, MA, who was in a 2009 Nissan Murano; Irene Karam, 83, of Manchester, New Hampshire, who was driving a 2011 Volvo XC60; and Patricia Knauer, 62, of Deland, Florida, who was a passenger in the Volvo.

According to an investigation by Troop C troopers and the state police collision analysis and reconstruction section, Jackson was driving west in the eastbound lane when she drove her Nissan into the Volvo, which was driving east. The vehicles exploded sometime after the crash, according to witnesses who posted pictures and videos of the crash on Twitter on Saturday.

Car fire on the highway in Sturbridge pic.twitter.com/tR8xAEmGpU
— Nicole Shih 石宜瑄 (@yihsuan_shih) April 17, 2021

Assisting state police in the investigation and clearing the scene were the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office. Troopers were assisted on scene by Sturbridge Fire and EMS, Southbridge Fire, MassDOT, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Photos from the serious MVA in Sturbridge.
Photos sent to me by a friend. pic.twitter.com/ost2LrLYdf
— Ian Hathaway (@ianhathaway12) April 17, 2021

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