crash_reports

On Tuesday, July 23, 2019, while assigned to Traffic unit N525, I responded to the intersection of Beacon Street and Washington Street, Newton for a motor vehicle accident involving a bicyclist. The weather at the time of the accident was overcast. The road surface was dry. Beacon Street and Washington Street are both public ways maintained by the City of Newton. I spoke with the operator of MV1, Paige Mahoney (S85200426). Mahoney stated she was stopped in traffic at a red light on Beacon Street (W) at Washington Street in her 2018 black Volkswagon Tiguan (MA: 633MV6). Mahoney stated while her vehicle was at a complete stop, she felt and heard something hit the rear of her vehicle. Mahoney exited her vehicle and saw a bicyclist on the roadway. I observed minor damage to the rear middle bumper area of MV1. There was a small amount of blood present on the damaged area. I observed the roadway where the accident occurred. There was a small pool of blood in the left lane of Beacon Street (W) where the bicyclist fell to the roadway. The area of the roadway where the accident occurred is currently undergoing restoration and the asphalt has been graded down to it's sub base in preparation to be resurfaced. The current road surface condition is bumpy and uneven. The area where the roadway goes from a smooth surface to a bumpy surface is where the accident occurred. The injured bicyclist was identified as Timothy Johnson (S29270605). I spoke with him in the Newton Wellesley Hospital emergency room. Johnson stated he was operating his bicycle Westbound on Beacon Street on the right side of the left lane. Johnson stated he was coming to a stop in traffic at a red light when his wheel abruptly turned to the left and he began to fall over. Johnson stated his head hit the back of a vehicle stopped in front of him and he landed on his right side, with his bicycle landing on top of him. As a result of the accident, Johnson suffered an injury to the right side of his head and had scrapes on his right arm. Johnson stated he did not lose consciousness as a result of the accident and he appeared to be alert and orientated while I was speaking with him. Johnson was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. There were fresh markings on the right side of the helmet with minor black paint transfer. These markings are consistent with Johnson's statement that he fell into the back of MV1 and hit his head. Johnson's bicycle was removed from the roadway prior to my arrival and was being stored in the driveway of 2044 Beacon Street by the resident there. I observed no obvious damage to Johnson's bicycle. After speaking with all parties involved and examining the roadway where the accident occurred, it appears that the condition of the road surface contributed to Johnson losing control of his bicycle and crashing into the rear bumper area of MV1 while it was stopped in traffic. Photos were taken of the road surface, John's bicycle, and MV2 and submitted to the IT Bureau.

Operator of MV1 was traveling westbound on Washington Street approaching the intersection where Beacon Street meets. Operator of MV1 attempted to turn left traveling eastbound on Beacon Street when MV1 crashed into a traffic signal pole, which was located on an island separating Washington Street and Beacon St. MV1 sustained heavy front end damage and was removed from the roadway by Tody's towing. The traffic signal pole was completely dislodged from the ground. Daigle Electric was notified. Pictures were taken on scene and submitted to IT. Operator of MV1 was transported to NWH.

The OP. of MV#1 states he was on the eastbound lane of Washington Street, waiting to make a left turn onto Beacon Street. When he saw there was a break in traffic, he made the left turn and did not see Bicycle#1 coming off the sidewalk, thus colliding with it. The OP. of Bicycle#1 states he was travelling westbound on Washington Street on the sidewalk. He states Washington Street westbound is too dangerous for him to ride on the roadway during rush hour traffic. As he was crossing Beacon Street, Washington Street westbound traffic still had a green light and that's when MV#1 collided into him while making a turn. The OP. of Bicycle#1 was wearing a helmet and had front and rear lights. He did not want me to take his bicycle so he brought it with him to the hospital to be picked up by a family member. Pictures were taken of the damage.

Operator of Motor Vehicle # 1 stated that she stopped at the green light on Washington Street (Eastbound ) waiting to take a left turn onto Beacon Street to gain access to the facility of CareOne at Newton. Operator stated she looked and was able to turn left and was halfway into the intersection when a jeep wrangler came out of nowhere driving fast causing her to make impact with vehicle #2. Passenger of Motor Vehicle # 1 stated that they had a green light and were stopped at the intersection of Washington Street and Beacon Street traveling Eastbound attempting to turn left onto Beacon Street. Passenger of Motor Vehicle # 1 stated that they started turning left because they had a clear path becasue a box truck was allowing them to turn and a jeep came out of nowhere which caused them to make impact with vehicle #2. Operator of Motor Vehicle # 2 stated that he was traveling Westbound on Washington Street and he had a green light at the intersection of Beacon Street and Washington Street. Operator of motor vehicle #2 stated he switched lanes to pass the box truck in front of him and he didn't see motor vehicle #1 attempting to take a left turn on to Beacon Street. Operator of Motor Vehicle #2 stated that he sped up to avoid impact with motor vehicle number #1however was unable to avoid impact. Motor vehicle #1 turned right into his drivers side door. Motor vehicle #1 sustained major front end damage and motor vehicle #2 sustained major damage throughout the entire vehicle. Both vehicles were towed by Tody's Towing. Operator and Passenger of Motor Vehicle #1 were transported to Newton Wellesley Hospital with no apparant injuries but for protocal and Operator of Motor Vehicle #2 was transported to Brigham and Women's Hospital with possibly moderate injuries. Several photographs were were taken of the scene and S.D. card was placed in the I.T Bureau.

The OP. of MV#1 stated while travelling eastbound on Washington Street, a vehicle suddenly came at him head-on so he swerved to the next lane to avoid a collision. That vehicle (MV#3) still sideswiped his truck and struck MV#2 before continuing onward on the wrong side of the road. The OP. of MV#2 stated he was stopped on top of the median, working on the barricades for the Boston Marathon. As he opened the door to get out, MV#3 struck his car door and kept on driving down the wrong side of the road. No one could get the plate number of MV#3 and only described it as a small dark colored sedan that went westbound towards Wellesley. I notified dispatch to let Wellesley P.D. be aware of the vehicle with some front end damage. Pictures were taken by me and left with the I.T. Bureau.

THE OPERATOR OF MV 1 STATED SHE WAS TRAVELING WEST ON WASHINGTON TURNING ONTO BEACON ST AND DUE TO A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THE STREET THAT SHE DIDN'T SEE, SHE SWERVED ONTO THE ISLAND AT THE INTERSECTION AND RAN OVER A CITY STREET SIGN. THE SIGN WAS WEDGED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE SO TODY'S RESPONDED AND FREED UP THE VEHICLE. TRAFFIC OFFICER IAROSSI TOOK PICTURES OF THE CRASH AND THE OPERATOR OF MV 1 CHOSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME.