Police await accident reports on Jan. 29 fatal auto crash
By Steve Myrick
Published: June 23, 2011
The car accident that claimed the life of 20-year-old Brandy Gibson on Jan. 29 remains under active investigation.
Injured in the accident were Francellyo Dias and Lessa Keila, who were transported to Boston hospitals aboard a medical helicopter. Mr. Dias was discharged from Brigham and Women's Hospital on Monday, according to a hospital spokesman. The hospital would not provide any other information about his condition. The hospital had no record of Ms. Keila being treated there. Some leaders in the Brazilian community said they did not know the injured people and could provide no information about their condition.
At the time of the accident, Mr. Dias could not produce a valid driver's license. Police later determined that he is not licensed to drive in Massachusetts. He will be charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Police also intend to charge Michael Diaz, the owner of Humphreys, with employing an unlicensed operator to drive the Humphreys van.
Mr. Diaz owns the van involved in the accident. He said his employee was driving it on a delivery route at the time of the accident. He said he hired Mr. Dias about a year ago.
"At the time he was questioned about having a license and such, and there was supposedly no problem," said Mr. Diaz this past Friday. "He was filling in for another driver that was on vacation. He does kitchen work for me and occasionally drives. My knowledge was that he had a license. I was certainly not knowledgeable that he didn't have a license.
"I know he's a wonderful man, he's never indicated to me of any problems. He's always been a very good employee, very respected with the other people, one very nice man."
A state police reconstruction team gathered information from the scene shortly after the accident and returned the next day to continue the investigation. The state police report is expected to be completed next week.
Oak Bluffs police are awaiting the results of toxicology tests on the two drivers involved in the accident.
Once the investigation is complete, police will decide whether to file additional charges.
