Law enforcement officials say that street racing was the cause of a fatal hit-and-run Monday evening that killed 36-year-old Springfield mother Kristine Andrews.
Police have arrested 18-year-old Nathan Colon, who they allege was racing another car when he crashed into Andrews as she was crossing Boston Road on foot. Colon has pleaded not guilty to charges of motor-vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of the crash. Police say they are continuing to investigate the second car alleged to have been racing when the crash happened.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said street racing is a growing problem in the region.
“When operated at reckless high speeds, a car is a 2,000-pound deadly weapon,” he said. “As we have seen here in this horrendous crash, a car can do great harm and have tragic consequences on innocent people.”
Springfield police Capt. Julio Toledo said Colon has previously been ticketed at least three times for speeding prior to Monday’s hit-and-run.
“In fact, on the morning of the incident, Mr. Colon was also involved in a separate and unrelated collision that was actually witnessed by officers and Mr. Colon left the scene of the incident,” Toledo said. “He will be facing charges concerning that issue as well.”
Gulluni said that there was another pedestrian crossing the street together with Andrews who “miraculously” avoided injury.
“My understanding is that he and Ms. Andrews saw these cars coming towards them, barreling at an extraordinarily high rate of speed,” Gulluni said. “He was able to avoid being struck while being in the middle of the roadway, and essentially stood in a very fortunate place where both cars passed him on either side of his body.”
So far this year, the Hampden District Attorney's Office’s Motor Vehicle Homicide Unit has responded to 36 fatal car crashes. Eleven of those were in Springfield, including six involving pedestrians. That’s already nearly as many as in 2023, when the organization Walk Massachusetts identified seven fatal pedestrian crashes in Springfield – the second-highest pedestrian fatalities in the state that year.
