New Bedford man accused of killing Endicott police officer in car crash is out on bail

• A New Bedford man posted bail after being arraigned in connection with a wrong-way crash.
• An Endicott College police officer was killed in the November 2024 crash.

A New Bedford man posted $10,000 bail after being arraigned June 4 on charges in connection with allegedly driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 95 in New Hampshire leading to a crash in Massachusetts that killed an Endicott College police sergeant.

Keoma Duarte, 40, was arraigned on two felony counts of reckless conduct and one misdemeanor count of disobeying an officer in Hampton District Court in New Hampshire. A probable cause hearing is set for June 12 in Hampton District Court.

He was arraigned in March 2024 in Salem District Court on two counts of manslaughter while operating under the influence in connection with the fatal crash in Massachusetts. He posted $100,000 bail on March 17. A compliance hearing in that case is scheduled for July 16 in Essex Superior Court.

New Hampshire issued warrant for Duarte's arrest

According to the Massachusetts charges, shortly before midnight on Nov. 27, 2024, Duarte’s 2023 Tesla Model Y was traveling southbound in the northbound lane on Interstate 95 in Newbury when it collided with a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven by Endicott College police sergeant and father of four Jeremy Cole, 49, of Exeter, New Hampshire.

Cole was declared dead at the scene. Duarte was transported via MedFlight to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston with serious injuries.

New Hampshire State Police say they obtained an extraditable arrest warrant charging Duarte on Dec. 6, 2024, with the alleged offenses on that side of the border.

They were notified by the Massachusetts State Police that Duarte had been taken into custody in Massachusetts on the arrest warrant on May 28. Duarte appeared in New Bedford District Court and ultimately waived extradition, according to a New Hampshire State Police press release.

Duarte was picked up in Massachusetts after warrant arrest

New Hampshire State Police traveled to Bristol County House of Correction in Massachusetts and took Duarte into custody on June 3. Duarte was then transported back to New Hampshire, where he was held at the Rockingham County Department of Corrections ahead of the arraignment on June 4.

According to the Portsmouth Herald, New Hampshire State Police say the crash stemmed from a chase that began in Hampton just before midnight on Nov. 27, 2024, when they observed a Tesla traveling southbound in the northbound lane of I-95.

The driver of Tesla was observed on surveillance footage entering the northbound New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet on the highway, which was closed at the time.

State police said the footage shows the driver traveling through the parking lot before departing from the entrance at approximately 11:45 p.m.

He was first observed by a trooper driving the wrong direction less than one minute later, New Hampshire state police said.

Crash occurred before driver encountered tire-deflation device

They engaged in emergency efforts to stop the wrong-way driver in coordination with Massachusetts State Police, who encountered the Tesla when it entered Massachusetts.

Massachusetts State Police attempted to stop the vehicle with a tire-deflation device on I-95 in Georgetown, but the wrong-way vehicle struck Cole’s Chevrolet Trailblazer in Newbury before it reached the device.

According to the New Hampshire State Police release, all aspects of the incident remain under investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Patrick Vetter at Patrick.R.Vetter@DOS.NH.GOV.