Woman on sidewalk hit and killed by Boston carjacking suspect, witnesses jump in to restrain driver
A man is expected to be arraigned Monday on charges including murder after he allegedly hit and killed a woman while driving a stolen car on the sidewalk in Mattapan on Saturday.
The Boston Police Department said the chaotic scene began around 2 p.m. on Blue Hull Ave. in Mattapan.
After he was involved in a crash, the suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Ibraim Matos of Hyde Park, allegedly got out of the damaged car and ran up to a woman who was waiting at a car wash in the area of Woodhaven Street.
Matos allegedly pulled the woman out of her car, stole the vehicle and fled the wrong way on Blue Hill Ave. toward Mattapan Square.
Boston police said Matos was speeding on the sidewalk near 1629 Blue Hill Ave. when he drove onto the sidewalk, hit a woman, and crashed into another vehicle near Fairhaven Street.
Surveillance video showed the woman attempting to run from the car on the sidewalk, but is unable to avoid impact.
The woman was later pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not yet been released.
According to witnesses, the driver of an MBTA bus in the area prevented Matos from getting away after hitting the woman.
"The bus saved a lot of people's lives because he was out of control," witness Dailina Duverne told WBZ-TV.
Duverne said a group of bystanders than pulled Matos out of the stolen car. They began punching him and subdued Matos until police arrived.
"He tried to run away and a lot of guys held him down. He was fighting them and they had to punch him. He was still fighting and some people had to fight him, holding him down because he tried to run away," Duverne said.
Boston police said that when officer arrived they found a large crowd around the crashed stolen car. Matos was identified as the suspect and taken to the hospital for treatment.
"They're heroes for that family. He didn't care if she was still alive or not," Duverne said of the bystanders who sprung into action.
Matos is charged with murder, carjacking, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury.
He is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Boston Municipal Court.
