TEWKSBURY, MASS. (WHDH) - A Tewksbury man was arraigned in Lowell District Court on charges he assaulted a teenager who later died from his injuries.
Joseph Zagarella, 18 of Tewksbury, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was held on $10,000 bail.
Officials say Zagarella attended a house party on Boylston Street in Lowell where several teenagers were drinking. The victim, a 15-year-old boy, allegedly stumbled into Zagarella, who police say responded by picking him up and slamming him head-first into a concrete floor.
Witnesses at the party say Zagarella bragged about the incident. Officials say Zagarella lied to investigators prior to his arrest.
The victim was transported to Lowell General Hospital and was later transferred to Tufts Medical Center. He was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. He was pronounced dead on Monday morning.
Jennifer Wiederhold, whose daughter was a close friend of the victim, started GoFundMe Page to help the family pay for the funeral. “He was fun loving, he was smart, caring, respectful,” Wiederhol said of the victim. “Every mom would be proud to have him as a son and I was proud my daughter had him as a friend.”
Officials say the investigation is ongoing, and charges could be upgraded pending the results of the autopsy.
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