Police: Man Stole a Car From a Country Concert, Killed 10-Year-Old Boy

A 10-year-old boy is dead and several of his family members are recovering from serious injuries after their car was struck by a man leaving a Kenny Chesney concert.

Police say Michael Escolas stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee from the parking lot of the concert and drove into a car that was stopped at a stoplight in Plainville, Mass., about seven miles south of Gillette Stadium. He was reportedly traveling at 50 MPH.

Six people were in the vehicle. Jaylen Bush-Victorian died after being taken to the hospital. Others in the car sustained injuries described by news outlets like CBS Boston as serious.

• Escolas faces 16 charges, including motor vehicle manslaughter while operating under the influence.
• His bail was set at $100,000.
• The car belonged to a Vermont couple who'd left their key fob inside the vehicle while they attended the concert.

The 42-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges during Monday's hearing. Defense attorneys mentioned his limited criminal record, with one prior operating under the influence charge. He has three kids of his own and brought that up when asked what he had to say to Bush-Victorian's family.

"I'm so sorry. I have a 10-year-old boy, too," Escolas said (per WCVB-TV).

The prosecutor said that Escolas had been drinking since 1PM and never made it to his seat to see the show. Police noted glassy eyes and slurred speech, and once taken to the hospital, he is reported to have called his wife and said, "One too many. Messed up," on a recorded phoneline.

After the accident, Gillette Stadium issued the following:

We are deeply saddened and extend our sincerest condolences to the family who has tragically lost a loved one. We are working with the Massachusetts State Police, who are doing the investigation under the jurisdiction of the Norfolk District Attorney's Office, to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. Once again, we offer our heartfelt sympathies to the family.

Saturday night (Aug. 24) was the second of three Chesney concerts at Gillette Stadium. Sunday's show marked the end of his Sun Goes Down Tour.

Billy Dukes is a Senior Editor and Executive Producer of Video Content at Taste of Country. He specializes in country music interviews, trend analysis and the Secret History of Country Music. Additionally, Billy covers Yellowstone, 1923 and related television shows through the Dutton Rules podcast. To date, he's written more than 13,000 articles for Taste of Country and produced over 3,000 videos for the Taste of Country YouTube channel.