West Springfield man charged in crash that killed 3 roadside workers

A West Springfield man is facing several charges, including three counts of manslaughter, after he allegedly struck and killed three roadside workers with his vehicle on Interstate 91 and fled the scene Friday morning.

Bilal Griffith, 29, of West Springfield, was arraigned Friday in Springfield District Court for three counts of manslaughter while operating under the influence, three counts of leaving the scene of personal injury and death, one count of operating under the influence, and multiple civil traffic violations, court records showed. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At approximately 12:50 that morning, a vehicle which Griffith was allegedly operating was traveling northbound on I-91 and attempted to use the Exit 10A ramp, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Facebook.

At that time, a crew was repairing the guardrail near the ramp entrance. The vehicle, which D.A. Anthony Gulluni said in a press conference was a Jeep Grand Cherokee, crashed into the guardrail and struck three crew members. The three workers all died from their injuries, the DA’s office said.

Igor Costa, 26, of Marlborough, Ryan Almeida, 48, of Brockton, and Raul Bohorquez, 57, of Brockton, have been identified as the victims.

Griffith allegedly fled the scene on foot, leading State Police and West Springfield police to begin a search. Police determined that Griffith was the vehicle’s owner using registration records, the DA’s office said.

A State Police sergeant eventually spotted Griffith and gave chase for more than half a mile until he was surrounded and taken into custody near Morgan Road in West Springfield, according to the DA’s office.

Griffith is currently being held at the Hampden County House of Correction on $1 million cash bail, the DA’s office said. He is due back in court Wednesday for a bail hearing, court records showed.

West Springfield police and State Police assigned to the DA’s office are continuing to investigate the incident.

Fundraiser launched after 3 employees killed

Premier Fence, the company that employed Costa, Almeida, and Bohorquez, set up a GoFundMe page titled “Remembering Our Beloved Employees.” As of Sunday evening, the fundraiser had raised more than $9,000.

The company stated in the fundraiser’s description that it will “continue to cooperate with the state police and release any additional information as it becomes available.”

In response to the crash, the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) released a statement.

“The tragic incident on March 28, 2025, involving the loss of three Premier Fence employees in West Springfield, is the largest reported work zone fatality in Massachusetts history, according to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse,” ATSSA President and CEO Stacy Testchner said in the statement. “This heartbreaking event is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those working to keep our roads safe.”