Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Deadly MA Crash

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A Rhode Island man was sentenced to up to 10 years in state prison today in connection with the death of two people in a motor vehicle crash in North Attleboro in 2023.

Bristol County District Attorney Tom Quinn announced today that Joseph Pompei, 52, of Cranston, Rhode Island was sentenced in Fall River Superior Court to six to 10 years in state prison with five years of probation to follow.

Pompei had previously pled guilty to two counts of motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation and one count of leaving the scene of an accident with death resulting.

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Crash Details and Timeline

The charges dated back to August 28, 2023, with a crash that occurred on Route 95 north and south in North Attleboro. Massachusetts State Police arrived to find a Jaguar XJ and a Cadillac Escalade had collided head-on in the northbound lane.

Victims and Injuries

The Jaguar suffered catastrophic damage and its driver and sole occupant, Randall Ricketts, 58, of Foxboro was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Cadillac – identified as James Griffin, 61, of Providence, a retired Rhode Island state trooper – died from his injuries six weeks later.

A 29-year-old woman and her five-year-old child, who were passengers in Griffin’s Cadillac, were also injured in the crash.

Investigation and Arrest

Witnesses told investigators that a Buick Lacrosse had been involved in the crash but then fled the scene. Investigators were able to trace that vehicle back to Pompei. They said he was traveling at a high rate of speed of 95 south and clipped the right front tire of the Cadillac, which projected the Cadillac across the median into 95 north, where it struck the Jaguar head-on.

READ MORE: Arrest Made in Fatal North Attleboro Crash

Pompei was later spotted by an off-duty police officer in Attleboro changing his tire. He was arrested by Massachusetts State Police.

Statement From D.A. Quinn on Pompei's Sentencing

"Two innocent people lost their lives because of the defendant's reckless operation of his vehicle. It is yet another tragic example of the carnage we see on the roadways by individuals who continue to operate their vehicles recklessly and with complete disregard for the safety and well-being of others,” D.A. Quinn said. “The sentence imposed by the court is appropriate for the defendant leaving the scene and the irreparable damage caused to the victims and their families.”