Funeral Services Set For West Warwick Teen Killed In Crash

WEST WARWICK, RI — Family and friends will gather Thursday in remembrance of Matthew Dennison, 17, a West Warwick High School hockey player who died after a crash with who authorities said was a drunken driver.

Dennison's wake will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hill Funeral Home in East Greenwich. The teen died last week after spending a month in the hospital with injuries he suffered during a head-on collision in Exeter.

"Matthew will be remembered for his passion for hockey. He started skating at the age of four and immediately fell in love with the game," Dennison's family wrote in his obituary. "For Matthew, there was never an off-season. As the Senior Captain of the West Warwick-Exeter-West Greenwich Co-Op Team, he helped lead them to a State Championship in 2020. He was a true leader on and off the ice and surrounded himself with great friends, whom he treasured. He considered them his brothers."

The head-on crash happened on Route 165 in Exeter on Feb. 12 and seriously injured Dennison and his teammate Kevin MacDonald. Dennison, 17, died at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence last week. MacDonald has since been released from the hospital.

Newport firefighter Alexander Krajewksi, 30, of North Kingstown, was arraigned Tuesday in 4th Division District Court in South Kingstown and charged with DUI of liquor or drugs resulting in death, driving to endanger with death resulting, DUI liquor or drugs resulting in serious bodily injury and driving so as to endanger personal injury resulting.

A judge at 4th District Court in South Kingstown originally allowed Krajewski to continue driving with an ignition lock, because he needed to drive to Connecticut for paramedic classes. But Krajewksi has since been suspended from the paramedic program, and the Newport Fire Department put him on paid leave, WJAR 10 reported.

Krjewski's bail was set at $10,000 with surety. He is expected to return to court in June for a pre-trial hearing.

Dennison's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Gregory the Great Church in Warwick. His family asked for donations to Mothers Against Drunk Driving in his name.