NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Newton man was indicted Wednesday in connection with a fatal car crash that happened at a Newton restaurant earlier this year.

Bradford Casler, 55, was charged with two counts of motor vehicle homicide. He was also charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle to endanger, which means negligent or reckless driving.

Casler was driving down Chestnut Street when he allegedly crashed his SUV through the front of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in Newton back on March 1. The crash killed 32-year-old Gregory Morin, of Newton, and 57-year-old Eleanor Miele, of Watertown. Seven other people were seriously injured.

Police said Casler’s driver’s license was revoked after the crash.

The Middlesex County District Attorney’s office has not revealed what they believed happened that made Casler lose control.

“We want to do this right,” DA Marian Ryan said Thursday when asked why it took six months to charge the driver.

As the indictment was announced Wednesday, barriers were put in place on the sidewalk in front on Sweet Tomatoes, which has been closed since the deadly crash six months ago.

Casler’s attorney released a statement Thursday morning:

“What happened that day was a horrible, horrible tragedy.  Mr. Casler feels tremendous grief and sorrow for the victims and their families.  It was truly a tragic accident that his health and physical condition could not have prevented.”

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox