The Middlesex County DA’s Office spent more than $20,000 on an independent investigation into its handling of a fatal cruiser crash, according to a Herald public records request.
The Herald also requested audio and transcripts of interviews done as a part of the investigation, but that information was withheld pending a discovery hearing Wednesday regarding what evidence in the officer’s motor vehicle homicide case will be released publicly.
“That determination will resolve the question of whether and to what extent the interviews may be disclosed,” Middlesex ADA Meagan Horn wrote in response to the Herald’s request.
The office commissioned the report after allegations arose earlier this year that State Police Sgt. Scott Quigley was drunk when he drove his cruiser into a wheelchair van in December 2023, injuring Special Olympian Angelo Schettino.
Schettino died in the hospital about a month later.
Middlesex hired retired judge Thomas Drechsler to investigate who, and when, members of the office knew about the allegations after it took years and a wrongful death suit filed by Schettino’s family for them to surface.
“District Attorney [Marian] Ryan decided to commission an independent investigation by former Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Thomas Drechsler because she believes that the public deserves answers about this important matter,” Middlesex spokesperson Meghan Kelly wrote in a statement. “Judge Dreschler’s investigation was timely and comprehensive. He conducted 34 interviews (including with District Attorney Ryan herself). Immediately after receiving the report, District Attorney Ryan released it publicly, in full and without redactions, underscoring her strong commitment to transparency and accountability.”
The contract between Middlesex DA and Drechsler set a budget of $25,000 for the report, but the retired judge was paid $20,345.60 for 42.8 hours of work, according to an invoice.
Dreschler charged $400 per hour plus about $3,200 in fees. Tasks outlined in the itemized invoice included preparing for interviews, conducting interviews, and drafting the report.
The invoice also noted time set aside to correspond with attorneys for both Sgt. Quigley and State Police Lt. Anthony Delucia, another investigator who was embedded in the office. Both declined to be interviewed, the published report said.
Ultimately, Drechsler found that only one employee out of the 34 people he interviewed had known about Quigley’s alleged blood alcohol level.
According to that employee, who worked at the director of operation and security, DeLucia told him that Quigley was drunk during the crash, but the employee regarded the comment as gossip at the time. He came forward with the information after the entire office received a court order to turn over communication to, from, and about Quigley’s crash.
DeLucia was placed on leave, pending both internal and independent investigation initiated by the MSP into the handling of the crash. He has since retired from the department.
The interview materials gathered by Drechsler have been forwarded to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office which is prosecuting Quigley due to the conflict with Middlesex.
In addition to the case of brothers Billy, Billoeum, and Channa Phan, whose trial was paused because of the initial disclosure about Quigley, the Middlesex DA has informed defendants in 141 cases about the investigation into the crash and other State Police officers who handled it in the aftermath.
Quigley’s discovery hearing will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn.
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