D.A. Drops Motor Vehicle Homicide Charge Against Driver In State Trooper Thomas Devlin Death

LOWELL (CBS) - The motor vehicle homicide charge against the driver who hit Massachusetts State Trooper Thomas Devlin in 2018 was dropped Friday.

Devlin, 58, was in the middle of a traffic stop on Route 3 in Billerica in July of 2018 when another driver swerved off the road and hit him. He suffered serious leg, back and head injuries. He had several surgeries and later died in September 2020.

When he passed away, charges against the driver, Kevin Francis, were upgraded to motor vehicle homicide.

But, according to the Boston Globe, an assistant state medical examiner changed her findings in the case Monday, now saying Devlin died not only from his injuries but a rare and fatal brain disease.

Middlesex County prosecutors went to court Friday saying they would not be able to "meet their burden at trial" and the homicide charge was dropped.

Francis will still reportedly go to trial at the end of the month on the remaining charges.