22-Year-Old Driver Pleads Not Guilty To Charges In Fatal East Boston Crash

EAST BOSTON (CBS) – The driver accused of causing a deadly crash in East Boston over the weekend pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Monday.

Dylan Etheridge, 22, had a black eye as he was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court on several charges, including motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident.

Police say he was speeding in a Mazda that hit a curb, rolled over and crashed on Bennington Street early Sunday morning near the Orient Heights MBTA station. The Mazda hit several parked cars and a cement planter in the median before ending up on its roof.

A woman who was a passenger in the car was killed. Another passenger was hurt but she is expected to survive. Etheridge is accused of taking off after the crash.

In court Monday, prosecutor Nathan McGregor said the car was traveling 80-to-90 mph before the crash. Both passengers had their seat belts on and were hanging upside down in the car when emergency workers found them. The driver was gone, McGregor said.

Etheridge's attorney, Peter Marano, called it a tragic accident. He said Ethridge grew up with the two passengers in his car and that he ran to get help, not to flee the scene.

"These are people who are friends, and frankly, that in and of itself, is devastating to all the families, because now, not just to my client's family, but the family of the decedent, the family of the other person in the car, nothing is ever going to be the same," Marano said outside court.

The names of the two passengers have not been made public.

Etheridge was released on $1,000 bail. Judge Roberto Ronquillo ordered him to wear a GPS monitor and to stay away from alcohol. Etheridge is due back in court June 14 for a probable cause hearing.