A Chelsea woman was arraigned Thursday in connection with a hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian in May, according to a statement from the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.
Gabriella Mendez, 32, is facing charges including leaving the scene of a crash causing injury or death, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle homicide after prosecutors alleged that the Chelsea resident struck and killed 58-year-old Alan Martel shortly before midnight on May 12.
Martal was allegedly struck by a silver Hyundai Santa Fe while in the area of East Boston’s Bennington Street. According to DA Kevin Hayden, a witness on the scene followed the vehicle and alerted law enforcement to the driver’s location.
According to Hayden, police responded to the home of the vehicle’s owner and once notified Mendez was the primary operator of the SUV, spoke to the Chelsea woman at her workplace the following morning. According to Hayden, the SUV was located in the parking lot with heavy damage to the windshield, hood and grill.
Officials say surveillance footage captures the SUV driving down the road with its’ headlights off and once contact is made with Martal, the brake lights flash briefly but the vehicle does not stop.
Martal succumbed to his injuries two weeks after the collision.
Mendez is also facing charges of a motor vehicle lights violation, using an electronic device while operating a motor vehicle and failure to stop for a pedestrian.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2022 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
