NORTH READING, MASS. (WHDH) - A 21-year-old Paxton man was charged in connection with a crash in North Reading late Saturday night that left a man and his eight-year-old daughter dead, officials said.
Matthew Sweeney, 21, is charged with felony motor vehicle homicide, operating under the influence, and operating to endanger. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in Woburn District Court Monday.
Officers responding to a reported crash on Route 28 around 10:45 p.m. determined Sweeney had been driving an Acura MDX approximately 100 miles-per-hour when he slammed into a Honda HR-V that was stopped at a red light, according to a joint statement issued Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and North Reading Chief of Police Mark Zimmerman. The HR-V then burst into flames.
First responders and a Good Samaritan attempted to get the occupants out of the HR-V, but the man and the minor inside were pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims were identified as Samir Naili, 35, and Kashmira Naili, 8.
Sweeney was also wanted for a hit-and-run in Methuen hours before the deadly crash in North Reading. Andover Police said an officer spotted Sweeney’s speeding car and tried to stop him seconds before the fatal crash.
Sweeney’s defense attorney said his client has no memory of the events.
“It’s my understanding he has no recollection, that he has a history of blackouts and lost time,” said Kevin Mahoney, Sweeney’s Defense Attorney.
Liz Powell-Naili, Samir’s mother and Kashmira’s grandmother, spoke with 7NEWS following the senseless tragedy. She remembers her granddaughter as a loving, happy child who enjoyed spending time with her father.
“She [Kashmira] was a happy child, always happy, and so was Samir, when they were together especially. They were like peas in a pod, they really went together,” said Liz Powell-Naili, Samir’s mother.
In a statement, Andover Public Schools Superintendent Keith Taverna said, “It is with deep sadness and with the family’s permission that we inform you about a recent loss to the South School community. An incoming 3rd grade South School student was a passenger in a fatal car accident in North Reading on Saturday night. The incident remains under investigation and the district is following the lead of public safety officials before providing further information. We extend our deepest condolences and support to the victims and their family. We understand that this loss may bring a range of emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school community.”
The district’s crisis support team, made up of professionals trained to assist during difficult times, will be available to provide care and guidance to staff, students and families. APS Mental Health staff will be available at the South School on Monday August 24th and Tuesday August 25th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for those who may need someone to talk with.
“I did the best I could to always help him when he needed it, and the same with her. So I love them both,” Powell-Naili said. “It’s kind of a surreal thing, you feel like you’re not really alive because something is missing in your life that you really miss.”
Sweeney was ordered by the judge to undergo a mental health evaluation.
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