Cops: Lt. Gov drove at 108mph before crash

BOSTON (AP) - Police say Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray's car was traveling 108 miles per hour just moments before he careened into a ledge and overturned last November, walking away with only a few scrapes and bruises.

The state police on Tuesday issued Murray a ticket for speeding, not wearing a seat belt and a lane violation in connection with the pre-dawn highway crash.

The police report shows Murray may have briefly fallen asleep at the wheel. The report showed no attempt to brake before the accident.

Murray said he takes responsibility for the Nov. 2 accident on Interstate 190 in Sterling, which occurred at about 5:30 a.m.

The report appears at odds with comments that Murray made after the accident.

At the time, Murray told reporters that he was driving around the speed limit and wearing his seat belt. Murray said he asked for a field sobriety test and the test showed a zero blood-alcohol reading.

Murray also asked state police to release information recorded by the car's "black box" at the time of the accident.

The data showed that the state-owned Crown Victoria that Murray was driving was traveling south on Route 190 at speeds ranging from a low of 75 mph to a high of 99 mph before traveling off of the west shoulder of the roadway.

The car traveled another 140 feet across the grass shoulder before striking a rock ledge and flipping.

At the time of impact, the car was moving at about 92 mph, although the car's top recorded speed was 108 mph about half a second before impact.

After hitting the ledge the car traveled another 232 feet in a southerly direction while rotating clockwise and rolling over, according to the report.

The "black box" data also showed there was no braking before impact and that Murray was not wearing a seat belt.

In a statement, Murray said police told him that the data is "consistent with what happens when someone falls asleep at the wheel and I believe that is what caused my accident."

At the time, Murray said he had left his Worcester home in the early morning hours to survey damage from a recent snowstorm and pick up coffee and newspapers when his car hit a patch of black ice and rolled over.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Murray said he takes full responsibility for the accident.

"I am grateful that I am OK and that no one was injured," he said. "Accidents happen quickly and mine was a serious one. I appreciate the response and the work of the State Police and I am especially thankful for all of the good wishes my family and I have received."