The black box data - released under pressure from reporters and Secretary of State William F. Galvin’s office - also refute Murray’s prior assertions that he was wearing his seat belt and was following the 65-mile-per-hour speed limit before he lost control of his car at 5:26 a.m. in Sterling. Yesterday’s information shows both that he was speeding and that his seat belt was not used.
The circumstances of the crash, and the tangled wreckage of the car, make it all the more remarkable that Murray emerged physically unscathed from the rollover. State Police say the angle at which the car sideswiped a rocky ledge on the side of the interstate probably saved his life, reducing the full force of the impact on Murray’s body.
“I understand that the vehicle accelerated rapidly without braking or turning in the seconds before the accident,’’ he said. “The State Police have said that this is consistent with what happens when someone falls asleep at the wheel and I believe that is what caused my accident.
“Given the seriousness of the accident, I feel lucky to be alive, and I’m grateful that no one was injured,’’ Murray, 43, told reporters at a State House Press conference yesterday. “I recognize that I should have been more careful. . . . The speed is frightening to me.’’
Murray will be ticketed $555 for speeding, not wearing a seat belt, and a lane violation, but will not face more significant charges. State Police spokesman David Procopio said the absence of a reckless driving charge is “not inconsistent with other similar crashes’’ in which no injuries occurred and no other vehicles were involved.
Murray said that he took full responsibility for the accident and will reimburse the state for the loss of the 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, which police have valued at about $9,000.
Murray, a Democrat, is often talked about as a potential candidate for governor when Deval Patrick’s term expires in 2014.
