Local

Somerville man held without bail after fatal Saugus crash

BOSTON — A Somerville man was arraigned by his hospital bed Thursday on charges related a fatal head-on crash in Saugus that killed a Lynn teenager

William Leger, 35, pleaded not guilty to the charges following a crash that killed 19-year-old Ashley Forward of Lynn.

Leger is charged with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, unarmed robbery, receiving a stolen vehicle (subsequent offense), operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license (subsequent offense), marked lanes violation, speeding, and driving the wrong way on a state highway. 

Judge Robert Murphy Jr. ordered Leger held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for June 17.

Leger appeared in Lynn District Court via video from Massachusetts General Hospital. 

The charges allege that after robbing a convenience store, Leger drove a stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed the wrong way on Route 107 in Saugus and crashed head-on into another vehicle, killing Forward. She was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Leger was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

A preliminary investigation found that the defendant’s car, a grey 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, was reported stolen on June 2, 2021 to Lynn Police and that the defendant was driving with a suspended license. 

Attorney Nathaniel Spinney is representing Leger.

Saugus Police, Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, Essex State Police Detective Unit and the Essex District Attorney’s Office are investigating.

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