A Massachusetts man died at the scene after his car went off the road while being followed by deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Sunday night.

Johnathan Daellenbach, 29, of Reading, Massachusetts, died after his car went off Route 27 around 10 p.m. Sunday night, Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols said in a press release Monday. Nichols said that Daellenbach’s 2004 Ford Focus went off the road after reaching speeds up to 96 mph, rolled over and hit a stone wall and trees south of the intersection with Bason Road.

Daellenbach was wearing a seatbelt, “however, the car sustained massive damages,” Nichols said.

The incident began when deputies Andrew Morgan and Kevin Hartley were monitoring traffic from the Maine Wood Turning parking lot on Route 27 in New Vineyard at 9:40 p.m.

A southbound car went by at a speed that appeared to be over the posted limit, Nichols said.

Morgan pulled out to stop the car, but it accelarated, Nichols said.

Morgan “attempted to catch up to the vehicle,” but it was going 96 mph. The deputy lost contact but continued south on Route 27 with Hartley following. Hartley saw the vehicle had gone off the road and crashed.

There were no passengers in the car.

The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate, Nichols said.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.