TOPSHAM, Maine — A Topsham woman died Monday night in a car crash outside Boston, and a 19-year-old man is charged with motor vehicle homicide in connection with the crash.
Just before 10 p.m. Monday, Dina L. Donahue, 53, of Topsham was driving a Honda Civic on Western Avenue in Boston's Brighton neighborhood when her car was "broadsided" by a rented 2022 Buick Enclave SUV. It was driven by Anderson A. Nova, 19, of Randolph, Massachusetts, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Nova was allegedly speeding and driving "negligently" on Soldiers Field Road in Brighton, then continued on to Birmingham Parkway, at one point allegedly speeding by a state police cruiser headed in the opposite direction, authorities said in a release.
Troopers turned around and followed him but lost sight of the car, police said. A short time later they saw smoke rising from the crash site. When they got to the scene, they allegedly saw the SUV had hit the Civic, and Nova was running from the scene, carrying his dog.
State police said Nova sped through a red light before hitting the driver's side door of Donahue's car.
Police allegedly found stolen checks and credit cards in the SUV, and an investigation determined he was driving with a suspended license, and someone else had rented the SUV for him, authorities said.
Donahue was taken by EMS to Beth Israel Hospital where she died.
Nova was treated for minor injuries at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Nova is charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating after suspension, leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury or death, receiving stolen property, and using a motor vehicle without authority.
He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Boston Municipal Court in Brighton.
