Lynn teen among pair hurt in rollover

PEABODY – Two area teenagers were seriously injured in a rollover crash on the ramp from Route 1 northbound to Route 95 northbound Tuesday morning.According to the Massachusetts State Police, Chad Mancini, 19, of Lynn, lost control of his 2004 Chevrolet Malibu on the ramp around 7:30 a.m., causing him to crash into a guardrail, spin around, hit the guardrail again and roll over before coming to a rest on the side of the road.Mancini’s passenger, an unidentified 15-year-old Peabody girl, was ejected from the vehicle. Both suffered serious injuries and were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Their conditions were not available Tuesday evening.A preliminary investigation into the crash revealed that speed was likely a factor and that neither victim was wearing their seat belts.”All ejections could be prevented if people were wearing their seat belts,” said Sgt. Michael Popovics, spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police. “All are required to wear them by state law.”The dangers of not wearing a seat belt is something public safety officials stress drivers and passengers should not risk.”In general, the use of seat belts can reduce the severity of injuries or the possibility of ejection in some motor vehicle crashes,” said Saugus Assistant Police Chief Leonard Campanello. “Which is why we encourage that everyone adhere to laws that govern their usage.”While Tuesday’s accident involved teenagers not wearing seat belts, Lynn District Fire Chief Jack Barry said it’s not just teens who are guilty of not wearing them.”It’s everybody,” he said. “There are a million and one reasons why people say they don’t want to wear them – I’m just going down the street, my jacket is too bulky, but there is no excuse not to wear them and it’s the law if nothing else.”Barry, who has responded to countless car crashes during his career, remarked how seat belts have time and time again allowed people to walk away from crashes.”It makes such a difference,” he said. “They minimize injuries and saves lives.”No further information was released regarding Tuesday’s accident, nor the extent of the victims’ injuries. The ramp where the rollover occurred was closed until approximately 10:30 a.m., when one lane was reopened. An investigation is being conducted by Troop A of the Massachusetts State Police with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.