A 28-year-old Rutland man was killed Monday night when he drove the wrong way on the Massachusetts Turnpike and collided head-on with two vehicles in the westbound lanes in Southborough, State Police said.
Just before midnight Monday, the man was traveling in a 2007 Ford Focus when he pulled into the breakdown lane, made a U-turn, and then began traveling the wrong direction in the westbound lanes, State Police said. It was not immediately known why the man drove in the wrong direction.
The Focus first sideswiped a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, before hitting a 2007 Dodge Charger, and colliding head-on with a 2010 GMC Terrain, State Police said.
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State Police said the man driving the Focus was pronounced dead at the scene.
A woman passenger in the Equinox suffered minor injuries and was taken UMass Memorial Medical Center, State Police said. The 31-year-old Auburn man driving the Charger was taken to the same hospital for serious injuries, as well as the driver of the Terrain, from Bridgeport, Conn., and his three passengers.
State Police closed portions of the highway while they conducted an investigation.
The Pike was fully reopened around 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, State Police said.
John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.