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Abner Jean-Baptiste faces charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and leaving the scene of an accident after causing injury or death, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said on Friday, Feb. 10.
Boston police were called to the intersection just after 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 and found Michael E. Simpson dead near Hampden Street, the prosecutor said. Witnesses said — and surveillance video — showed a brown 2004 Buick Rendezvous crashing into Simpson, stopping briefly, and then speeding away. Cameras caught part of the car's license plate.
Investigators used that information to track down Jean-Baptiste the following day, the prosecutor said. They found a 2004 Buick parked across the street from his apartment with damage to the hood, the prosecutor said;.
Jean-Baptiste told police he had been in the Mass and Cass area at the time of the crash, and he thought he had driven over "something," authorities said. Police towed the car and collected evidence from the front end before arresting Jean-Baptiste earlier this week.
“This is a tragic incident made even more tragic by the driver’s decision to leave the scene," Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden said in a news release. "Anyone thinking they can escape responsibility by driving away after an incident like this is making a massive misjudgment."
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