A 16-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection with the Oct. 14 death of a Methuen man, Methuen Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon and Mayor James P. Jajuga tell WHAV in a joint statement.
The Lawrence boy, whose name is being withheld because of his age, will be arraigned Wednesday in juvenile court on charges of manslaughter, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of personal injury and speeding, Solomon said.
“This was a tragedy that was entirely avoidable,” Solomon said. “I’m proud of the tireless effort our officers put in to investigate this incident and identify the person responsible so that they can be held accountable for their actions.”
Methuen 57-year-old Timothy Lafferty was killed shortly before 9 p.m. near 253 Jackson St. while waiting for a tow truck outside his home. Police determined Lafferty was struck by a white 2011 Acura Infiniti M37 going north on Jackson Street. That vehicle, said to be stolen, was found with front-end damage and seized as part of the investigation. According to police, the vehicle’s owner and the teen arrested know one another.
The teen, who did not have a driver’s license, is also charged with two counts of witness intimidation after allegedly making verbal threats against a witness to the crash.