A Newton man is standing trial for crashing into the front of a Newton restaurant in 2016, in an incident that killed two people and injured several others.
Such crashes are a hidden risk at strip malls, restaurants, bars, and other neighborhood shops throughout the Commonwealth. In fact, they are surprisingly common, and among the leading causes of death at business locations.

HPIM1698.JPG
Investigators say the driver was speeding when he plowed into the front of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in March 2016. The defendant’s attorney told jurors during opening statements that the driver suffered from multiple sclerosis and was having a medical emergency when he accidentally lost control of the vehicle, according to Boston 25News.
The driver has been charged with two counts of motor vehicle homicide. The first day of testimony in Middlesex Superior Court included a friend who testified the 57-year-old driver hurriedly ended a phone call with him in the moments before the crash.
“It was business as usual; the employees were going about their business, they were taking orders, they were serving their customers,” prosecutor Chris Tarrant told the jury, according to media reports. “They were waiting for food when, without warning, a silver SUV came crashing through the building that is Sweet Tomatoes at an extremely high rate of speed.”
Boston car accident lawyer know a premises liability claim may also be made in many such cases. Consulting a Massachusetts law firm experienced in handling collision claims involving businesses, property owners and other liable third parties will offer the best chance for obtaining a judgment for damages.
Continue reading