Painter man indicted for vehicular manslaughter

By Linda Cicoira

A Painter man was indicted by an Accomack Grand Jury Monday on a count of manslaughter in connection with a Jan. 9th traffic crash that killed a 19-year-old Onancock resident.

     Thirty-two-year-old John Higgins O’Brien III, of Curratuck Road in Painter, was also indicted on counts of driving under the influence, reckless driving, and failure to stay in his lane. The victim was Julio Meneses Vazquez, of Market Street.

     State police investigated the crash, which occurred just before 10 p.m., on Savageville Road, south of Dogwood Drive, in Melfa. A report stated O’Brien was driving north in a 1988 Chevrolet Silverado when he collided with the victim’s 2010 Ford Focus, which was going south. Vazquez died upon impact. O’Brien was seriously injured.