Vehicle Reached 120 MPH Speeds Seconds Before Fatal Crash

A vehicle reached speeds of 120 mphs seconds before a fatal crash that tragically claimed the life of a Tiverton man on his 21st birthday, according to investigators. 

Bryan Henrique, 21, of 35 Sheldon St., Tiverton, was killed on Aug. 6 after the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix he was operating struck a utility pole on Stafford Road. Henrique was a 2010 graduate of Tiverton High School.

A passenger in the vehicle, Seth A. Poe Demoura, 21, of 386 Canonicus St., Tiverton, was also seriously injured in the crash. 

While the crash remains under investigation, police have determined the vehicle was traveling at speeds of 120 mph only seconds before the crash. 

An accident investigator from the Rhode Island State Police was able to tap into the vehicle's data recorder, according to Lt. Patrick Jones of the Tiverton Police Department. 

Most vehicles built after 2006 are equipped with a data recorder, similar to an airplane's black box. "It stores this data to assist investigators," Jones said. 

The data shows the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix was traveling at 120 mph three seconds before the crash. The driver also hit the brakes two seconds prior to the collision, police said. 

Both the driver and passenger were not wearing seat belts, police said. 

"It is consistent with damage and observations," Lt. Jones said. "We are still awaiting toxicology and autopsy reports. The investigators are still going back and reconstructing the scene."  

The official cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time.