Former Boys' Basketball Coach Ruggiero Seriously Hurt in Car Crash

Hingham police say a Stoughton man is facing drunk driving charges after seriously injuring another driver, former Foxborough and King Philip High boys' basketball head coach George "Bo" Ruggiero, and himself in a three-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon on Route 53 in Hingham.

Michael W. McKay, 34, of Kim Terrace in Stoughton is being summonsed to court for felony charges of OUI alcohol while causing serious bodily injury and operating to endanger, Hingham police said. 

At approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, McKay drove his Dodge pick-up truck west on Route 53 from Farm Hills Lane. As McKay entered Route 53, police said he accelerated rapidly, lost control, and crossed into the oncoming lane, striking a 2002 Lexus ES300 head-on. A third vehicle, a 2003 Ford pick-up truck that was heading eastbound in the right lane, then struck the two vehicles.  

The driver of the Lexus,  Ruggiero, 68, of Main St. in Norfolk, was transported to the South Shore Hospital with serious injuries by Hingham Fire Department paramedics, police confirmed Thursday night.  He was not wearing a seatbelt when his vehicle was struck, and police said he was thrown inside the vehicle onto the passenger side, but was not ejected. Ruggiero is the current head boys' basketball coach at Cohasset High.

McKay, who police said was not wearing a seatbelt, was also transported to the South Shore Hospital with injuries.

The driver of the Ford, Miriam D. Cadogan, 52, of Rockland was not injured. Police said he was wearing his seat belt.

According to Hingham Police Sgt. Steven Dearth, there were no passengers in any of the vehicles and all three vehicles were totaled.

The Cohasset boys' basketball team, who were the Division 4 runners up a year, is 14-5 this year and headed back to the state tournament.