crash_reports: 1900000286

On Friday March 15th 2019 at approximately 0730 hours I responded to the intersection of Beacon Street and Herrick Road for a report of a hit and run involving a bicyclist. The weather at the time of the accident was cloudy and the road conditions were dry. Both streets are public ways in the City of Newton. Upon arrival I observed the victim identified as Glenn Butcher (MA OLN S36552335), inside the ambulance getting medical attention. Butcher was getting a bandage applied to his left leg and complained of leg, back and neck pain. Butcher appeared visibly shaken and in pain. Butcher stated he had the green traffic light and was travelling eastbound on Beacon Street crossing Centre Street and then continuing straight crossing Herrick Road. Butcher stated MV1 was travelling westbound on Beacon Street and took a left turn onto Herrick Road and collided into his bicycle. Butcher states upon impact he flipped over his bicycle and landed on the hood of MV1, before rolling off and landing on the ground. Butcher states he was wearing his helmet which was present. Butcher states his bicycle ended up partially under MV1. Butcher states the operator of MV1 pulled his vehicle to the side of the road and got out of his vehicle and spoke to several witnesses briefly. Butcher states the operator then left the scene without properly exchanging information and did not wait for the police to arrive. Butcher described the vehicle as a dark gray Honda, and described the operator as an older white male, 5'10 approximately 80 years old with white hair. Butcher was also able to provide an email address for another bicyclist who witnessed the accident. The witness left his information with Butcher prior to my arrival. Fire fighters on scene were able to get the registration number of the vehicle from the witness (MA REG 4CX148) and gave it to Officers on scene. Butcher was transported by Medic 1 to NWH with minor injuries. His bicycle had visible damage to the frame area and skid marks were present on both tires. 19 photographs of the scene and the bicycle were taken and sent to the IT dept. email. Officer Gabriel transported the bicycle to the station where it was logged into Property & Evidence for safekeeping. Dispatch was able to query the registration which came back to a gray, 2010 Honda Accord registered to a Matthew Sugarman (MA OLN S38601397), out of W. Roxbury. Dispatch contacted the Boston Police Dept. and had them send an Officer to the address to try to make contact with Sugarman. Sugarman was advised to contact the Newton Police Dept. and I was able to speak with him on the telephone. Sugarman states he was driving the vehicle today and was involved in an accident with a bicycle. Sugarman states he was travelling westbound on Beacon Street and was taking a left onto Centre Street not Herrick Road. While speaking with Sugarman he seemed confused as to his location during the accident and was adamant that he was turning left onto Centre Street and not Herrick Road. I advised Sugarman that I was on scene with the first responding Officers and the accident clearly occurred at the intersection of Beacon Street and Herrick Road based upon the final resting place of the bicycle. Sugarman went on to state that his vehicle was already turning when the bicycle struck his vehicle and he believed it was the bicyclists fault. I advised Sugarman it appears the bicyclist had the right of way since it was traveling straight and that because his vehicle was taking a left turn, he failed to yield for on coming traffic at an intersection. When asked why he did not stay at the scene of the accident Sugarman stated he got out of his vehicle and spoke to the bicyclist and he "seemed okay". Sugarman states he then left the scene while the victim was still sitting on the ground. I asked Sugarman if he had ever been involved in accident before and he replied "no." I advised Sugarman that I am currently looking at his drivers history and see nine accidents that he was involved in. Sugarman stated "he has never been in accident like this before." I then asked Sugarman what the law states when you are involved in an accident and he was not able to provide me with an answer. I advised him that the law states you must stop and exchange information before leaving the scene of an accident. Again he stated the bicyclist seemed okay and "he had somewhere to be so he left." Sugarman has an extensive drivers history including nine surchargeable accidents, reckless operation, two different charges of leaving the scene property damage and two immediate threat affidavits filed against him. I advised Sugarman that I will be mailing him a citation for Ch89 s8 Fail to yield to oncoming traffic, and Ch90 s24 Leaving the scene of personal injury. I also filed an immediate threat form with the registry. I emailed the witness using the information he provided to the Newton Fire Dept that was on scene and received a phone call back from the witness identified as Bruce Adams. See witness report for his statements. I contacted the Bank of America located at 808 Beacon Street in Newton, as they are the closest business to that intersection with video surveillance. I spoke with George Walsh (781-834-8275) who stated they do not have any working cameras on that side of the building to the bank. For this report the bicyclist is entered as a non-motorist for validation purposes. Witness Bruce Adams (MA OLN S96398108) stated that he was riding his bicycle travelling behind the victim about 100 feet away. Adams states he was watching the victim and had a clear view of him as he travelled behind him, through the green traffic light heading eastbound on Beacon Street. Adams stated he witnessed MV1 travelling westbound on Beacon Street take a sharp left turn onto Herrick Road which turns into Union Street. Adams stated that the vehicle turned left colliding into the bicycle and there was no possible way the bicyclist had time to stop to avoid the collision. Adams stated the victim flew over his handle bars and fell on top of MV1's hood and then landed on the ground. Adams stated the victim's bicycle was stuck under MV1's front bumper. Adams stated the operator of MV1 backed his vehicle up with the bicycle still attached to his vehicle bumper and pulled MV1 over to the side of the road. The operator then got out of his vehicle and walked up to the victim who was laying on the ground visibly in pain. Adams stated the operator asked the victim if he was okay to which the victim did not immediatley reply as he was visibly shaken up. Adams stated the operator then walked back to his vehicle and attempted to leave the scene and that is when Adams stood infront of MV1 to stop him from leaving the scene. Adams stated he then removed the bicycle from underneath the bumper of MV1 and placed it on the side of the road. Adams stated the operator got out of his vehicle again and walked up to the victim and asked him "what do you want to do?". Adams stated the victim did not respond and that is when the operator got back into his vehicle and drove away, leaving the scene before any emergency response arrived. Adams stated he was able to memorize MV1's registration and stayed with the victim until police, fire and medics arrived. He stated he gave the fire dept the registration and his contact information prior to leaving the scene.