Canton was shaken early Wednesday when a three‑vehicle crash on Interstate 95 South claimed the life of a young man from Marshfield as the morning commute was just beginning. At about 6:20 a.m., Massachusetts State Police answered calls reporting a serious collision near mile marker 25. When first responders reached the scene, they found multiple vehicles damaged and traffic backed up as crews worked to clear the wreckage.
Matthew McTiernan, 22, was driving a Toyota sedan and was the only person in his car when the crash happened. Police say McTiernan suffered fatal injuries in the collision. He was taken from the scene and later pronounced dead. Troopers closed all but one lane of the southbound highway for hours, causing long delays for drivers headed into the city.
Friends and family were left reeling by the sudden loss. McTiernan was a student at Johnson & Wales University where he was completing a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, according to those who knew him. He was described as a hardworking young man with a bright future, loved by classmates and church members alike.
People on social media spoke of his kindness and the shock of hearing about his death. Those who knew him said he had plans and dreams mere hours before that Wednesday morning, making the loss all the more heartbreaking for his community. A fundraiser set up by friends to help cover funeral and memorial expenses drew dozens of donors who shared memories of his infectious smile and generous spirit.
State Police have not released detailed findings about what triggered the crash. Investigators with the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section are reviewing evidence to determine how it unfolded and whether conditions on the road played a part. At this point, officers have not confirmed whether weather or traffic factors were involved.
The other drivers in the collision were not reported to have died, though police have not provided an official count of injuries. Commuters described chaos on the interstate that morning, with vehicles inching by responders in the breakdown lane and frustration building among those stuck in hours‑long backups.
In the wake of the crash, McTiernan’s community in Marshfield and classmates at Johnson & Wales have been left to grapple with the sudden and senseless loss of someone they expected to be around for years. Friends say they will remember him not for how he died, but for the way he lived — with passion, kindness and an easy laugh.
