Deadly accident in Scituate due to bad choice, family says

By Jennifer Mann
The Patriot Ledger

SCITUATE -- Family and friends say Ryan Fay was a good guy who made a bad choice.
The 22-year-old died late Tuesday after crashing at a high speed into two trees on the Driftway in Scituate. Police are investigating whether Fay, of Cairo Circle, was racing with his two best friends.

Fay's parents hope others will learn from what they called a tragic mistake.

"If Ryan's loss and our loss can help someone, that's important," said his father, Jerry Fay.

His mother, Becky Fay, said thankfully nobody else was hurt.

"Ryan couldn't have lived with that, if he had hurt someone else," she said.

Police Lt. Michael Stewart said speed was a factor in the crash and alcohol may also have been involved.

He said Fay lost control of the pickup truck he was driving after passing two of his friends' cars near a curve in the two-lane road.

"We're interested in seeing whether there were witnesses to the fact that these cars were flying down Driftway, fooling around," Stewart said.

The group had been at T.K. O'Malley's Harborfront Sports Cafe in Scituate Harbor before the accident, Fay's family said.

A general manager at the pub, who declined to give his name, would not say whether Fay and the others had been served alcohol.

The Plymouth County District Attorney's office and a state police accident reconstruction team are also investigating.

Stewart said it appears one of the other cars, driven by 23-year-old Schuyler Laney of 104 Satuit Trail in Scituate, had passed Fay's truck. Fay then crossed into the oncoming lane to pass Laney's vehicle and a third vehicle.

"It appears the victim had made an attempt to pass those two vehicles between Widow's Walk (golf course) and the town dump at a high rate of speed," Stewart said. "As he came upon Ladds Way, it appears he encountered a vehicle traveling east on Driftway. That vehicle had to make an evasive move (and skidded onto the sidewalk.)"

Fay pulled back into the westbound lane and steered sharply to avoid hitting another car traveling in the same direction. His pickup truck struck a tree on the passenger side, then hit another tree on the driver's side, across the street from the Life Care Center of the South Shore nursing home at 309 Driftway.

Fay was dead when authorities arrived at about 11 p.m. Rescue crews used a hydraulic saw to remove his body from the truck.

Laney and his twin brother, Samuel, a passenger in his car, were arrested at the scene on charges of disorderly conduct. Stewart said Schuyler Laney was also charged with interfering with firefighters as they worked to remove Fay from the truck, assault and battery for allegedly punching a police officer and possession of marijuana.

A young woman driving the third car was taken into protective custody.

The Laneys pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday in Hingham District Court. They are scheduled to appear back in court Sept. 29.

"This was their best friend -- both of them -- and they've known him since grade school," said Tom Laney, the twins' father. "It was just a horrific blow. That's why they flipped."

All three men graduated from Scituate High School in 2003.

In the last 10 years, 10 Scituate residents under age 23 have died in car crashes.

Police Chief Brian Stewart said these tragedies continue to occur despite safety programs in the schools. But the frequency of auto accidents involving young people in Scituate is not unlike accident rates in other towns.

"It never ceases to amaze me," he said. "Just a bad decision really, and this is the result."

Jennifer Mann may be reached at jmann@ledger.com.

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[patriotledger]

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[decrepitchild]

in 1998 I lost a childhood friend, in a car accident due to street racing. It is always sad when young people die for the thrill of racing cars.

[Garra27]

"he just went home..."

[AkhilesBoy]

well in the good side, he didnt feel the hungover....they suck...

[mitchellsoccer]

wtf is wrong with you, seriously, wtf is wrong with you.

[TheBostonguy22]

Ryan...i am sorry to say that they are faggots out there like 1Rationalmind and ciaochowbella....who really need to get a life. just becasue they are middle age and thinks it cool to play on youtube and post comments on situations they know nothing about....i say fuck the both oh them...rip in peace buddy. i miss alot.

[ciaochowbella]

No telling. But he's seriously deluded if he thinks folks agree with him just because the dead guy was his friend.

[1RationalMind]

I certainly don't agree with him. Drunk drivers deserve life in prison for threatening the lives of others, and zero sympathy.

TheBostonguy22 is a an account that was just setup- I wonder who it's a sockpuppet for.

[ciaochowbella]

Aww, cute attempt at slander. No one "agrees" with you.

I understand that you love your friend. However, the fact remains that he KILLED HIMSELF THROUGH HIS OWN STUPIDITY. It is just luck that he didn't kill anyone else.

Public behavior IS the business of the public and I'm part of the public. IT IS MY BUSINESS when assholes put others in danger with their antics.

So fuck yourself. You're a self-centered little twat who can't see beyond the end of his nose.

[TheBostonguy22]

I love that you have no idea what you are talking about....i just checked out your profile and it seems that others agree.....you opinion means very little to me and the many people that loved Ryan...i am going to be the better person and STOP this conversation...since you are a dumbass.....I am sorry to hear about your nieces but you cant blame my friend...Ryan. I think you my need to see help...you have problems...My Last words to you is "FUCH YOUSELF CUNT & MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS"

[ciaochowbella]

It's a public forum and it was a news story. I, as an American, have the right to comment on whatever lies in the public domain. If you don't like it, tough shit.

Grow the fuck up. The world doesn't revolve around you and your selfish group of juvenile friends.

[ciaochowbella]

What is the problem, BostonGuy22? Ashamed of your remarks? Were you one of the assholes who was racing him when he crashed? Is THIS why you feel so bad about it all? It is guilt that you killed your friend or is it entitlement that makes you such and overweening prick?

If a person dies doing a stupid thing, they got what they asked for. No excuses.

[ciaochowbella]

Ryan got what he was asking for. It's just fortunate he didn't kill anyone in the process.

And I may be a POS in your ridiculous opinion, but I don't drive recklessly and how the world gets out of my way.

Apparently, you're as big a douche as your corpse of a friend.