By SANDY McGEE

WOONSOCKET — The Providence County Grand Jury recently indicted Patrick Coyle of Woonsocket on charges stemming from a 2006 single car crash that resulted in the deaths of three local residents.

Coyle, 22, of 101 Oak St., Woonsocket, has been charged with three counts of driving under the influence, death resulting; three counts of driving to endanger, death resulting; and one count of driving a motor vehicle without a license. The grand jury handed up the indictment on Feb. 29.
Two brothers, 21-year-old Steven Vasquez of Woonsocket and 24-year-old Victor Vasquez of Northbridge, and their friend, 20-year-old Travis Thifault of Woonsocket, died on Oct. 29, 2006, after the car they were traveling in crashed into a tree in Cold Spring Park on Harris Avenue. Coyle, who is believed to be the vehicle’s operator, managed to escape the vehicle with minor injuries.
According to the recently released report from the Providence County Grand Jury, “It is alleged that on Oct. 29, 2006, Coyle operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, with the deaths of Travis Thifault, Victor Vasquez, and Steven Vasquez ensuing. It is alleged that on or about that same date, Coyle operated a vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others with the deaths of Travis Thifault, Victor Vasquez, and Steven Vasquez ensuing.”
Coyle is also facing the charge of driving a motor vehicle “at a time when his license to operate was suspended,” according to the report.
The multi-fatal car crash in October 2006 occurred near the corner of Winter Street and Harris Avenue. The vehicle, a white Cadillac, apparently traveled down Winter Street, through a stop sign and across Harris Avenue before smashing through Cold Spring Park’s heavy wrought iron fence.
The Cadillac apparently traveled 60 feet through the air before colliding with the tree and landing on its roof.
According to reports in 2006, paint chips from the car could be seen as far as eight feet up the tree truck.
The vehicle’s speed at the time of the crash was apparently more than 60 mph. The speed throughout the residential area is 25 mph.
Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene when police arrived. The third victim, Thifault, was later pronounced dead at Landmark Medical Center.
Coyle, whose license was suspended at the time, managed to escape the vehicle and later apparently told police that Thifault was the driver. Police found Thifault in the front passenger seat.
According to reports in 2006, the men were believed to have been drinking at bars in the city before the crash.
In 2006, Eddie Vasquez said he was supposed to meet his brothers that night at the American Legion Post 62 bar at 19 Arnold St. Joey Osorio, the fiancé of Thifault’s mother in 2006, said the men left the Amvets Post 7 on Chester Street before the crash.
Both Vasquez brothers left behind young sons. Steven Vasquez, the youngest of four brothers, was the father of a then two-year-old boy and worked in the roofing trade. 
Victor Vasquez, the oldest brother, was the father of a five-year-old son and also worked in the roofing business.
Travis Thifault was engaged to Sarah Berthiaume. The couple planned to marry in 2007.
His grandmother, Dora Perry of Woonsocket, described Travis as a quiet young man who preferred to stay home rather than go out with friends.
Coyle will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on March 26.
He has been serving the remainder of an eight-year drug sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston since Dec. 5, 2006. He also has two previous convictions for driving on a suspended license.
In 2006, the sentence for each count of driving to endanger with death resulting was a maximum of 10 years in prison. In 2006, the sentence for conviction of driving under the influence with death resulting was a range of not less than five years and not more than 15 years in prison for each count.