Contact: Beth Stone – 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A Pembroke woman was convicted on charges that she caused a fatal car crash that left a Bridgewater woman dead and two others injured, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced.
In a jury-waived, 5-day trial before Brockton Superior Court Judge Angel Kelly found Danielle Mastro (DOB: 04/14/84) of Pembroke, guilty of one count of Motor Vehicle Manslaughter. Mastro was sentenced to serve 10-13 years in State Prison on the charge.
At approximately 3:30 pm on October 3, 2017, State Police Detectives in the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office were notified by Brockton Police of a fatal motor vehicle crash at 179 Quincy Street in Brockton. State Police and Brockton Police responded, as well as the State Police CARS Unit and Crime Scene Services, and an investigation commenced.
Three vehicles were involved in the motor vehicle crash and the investigation determined that two females were traveling north on Quincy Street in a Chevy Equinox when they were struck from behind by an Audi A6 being driven by Mastro. The investigation further determined that the rear-ending impact of the Audi caused the Chevy Equinox to veer into the southbound side of Quincy Street and into the path of a 12-wheel heavy dump truck that was traveling southbound. The impact caused the truck to rollover and lose its load before coming to rest on its side. Mastro exited the Audi A6 and fled the scene on foot, but was located moments later by Brockton Police officers on patrol. The female driver of the Equinox, a Bridgewater woman, was transported to Brockton Hospital where she was pronounced dead of her injuries. She was identified as Deborah Combra (DOB: 06/05/59) of Bridgewater. The female passenger in the Chevy Equinox, a Brockton resident, was taken to Brockton Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the dump truck stopped upon impact and remained on scene. He sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Through their investigation and witness statements, detectives determined that prior to the crash in Brockton, Mastro drove recklessly through the towns of Hanson, East Bridgewater and Whitman and failed to stop for a police officer in Hanson.
“Family and friends of Debbie Combra filled the courtroom daily during the trial,” DA Cruz said. “At sentencing, they fondly remembered a wife, mother, sister, and friend who was the glue that held family together and who looked forward to retirement and becoming a grandmother. Danielle Mastro’s selfish actions on that day in October, 2017, stole all of that away. I am hopeful that with today’s sentencing, this family can finally be at peace with their memories.”
Prior to trial, Mastro plead guilty to the following charges: OUI Causing Serious Bodily Injury, Leaving the Scene of a Death, Leaving the Scene of Personal Injury, Leaving the Scene of Property Damage, Use of a Motor Vehicle without Authority, Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Failure to Stop for Police and Operating After License Suspension. Following trial, the Negligent Operation and Failure to Stop charges were dismissed as subsumed by the Manslaughter conviction. On the Operating Under the Influence Causing Serious Bodily Injury and Leaving the Scene of a Death charges, Mastro was sentenced to 2 ½ years in the House of Correction, with one year to be served and the balance suspended for three years from and after the state prison sentence. Mastro received a three year term of straight probation on the Use Without Authority, Leaving the Scene of Injury and Property Damage counts. That term of probation was ordered to run concurrently with the probation portion of the House of Correction split sentence on the OUI Serious Bodily Injury and Leaving the Scene of Death charges. A count of OUI Motor Vehicle Homicide was also dismissed at trial as a lesser included offense of the manslaughter charge.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Russell Eonas and Courtney Fogarty and was investigated by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Brockton Police Department, the State Police CARS Unit and Crime Scene Services and the Hanson Police Department.