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On the day that she died, Lauren Johnson-Lavender, 69, shared a Facebook photo of her family's vehicle packed and ready for what appears to be a lengthy trip out of Massachusetts. Nearly 100 people wished her safe travels.
Johnson-Lavender would later be identified by investigators as the victim killed in a crash on I-495 that temporarily shut down a stretch of the interstate.
Johnson-Lavender was a passenger in a Lexus that was stopped in traffic at around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the westbound lanes when it was rear-ended by a Dodge Ram.
That impact carried the Lexus into the back of a Ford F-150, which was also struck in traffic, while the Dodge went airborne and struck the second-pick-up truck, as well as two other vehicles in the area before coming to rest on its side.
Johnson-Lavender was pronounced dead at the scene. Three others were hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.
The crash led to lengthy lane closures on I-495 that backed up traffic for miles. It remains under investigation.
Charges in the crash were pending.
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