Salem woman arrested on charges of drunken driving in fatal crash

By Gal Tziperman Lotan, Globe Correspondent

A Salem woman was arrested after her car veered into a parked tow truck early Saturday morning, killing a 19-year-old man in her passenger seat, police said.

Angelique Griffin, 25, admitted that she had been drinking before she hit the truck parked outside the All Star Collision Center, 171 Boston St., around 3:42 a.m., Salem Police Sergeant Marc Berube said.

The passenger, Dillon Renard, grew up in Salem but lived in Danvers, Berube said. He was killed instantly.

Berube said he did not know whether the two were wearing seat belts, but said neither was ejected from the car.

Griffin was treated for minor scrapes at North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital before she was arrested. She was charged with motor vehicle homicide, negligent operation, and operating under the influence, Berube said.

Griffin is being held on $50,000 cash bail, Berube said.

She is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Salem District Court.