Prosecutor: Woman removed license plates, hid car after Stoneham hit-and-run

WOBURN, MASS. (WHDH) - A 30-year-old Burlington woman charged in a hit-and-run that left four children injured in Stoneham earlier this month took the license plates off the car she was driving and hid it at a friend’s house after the crash, prosecutors said.

Stephanie DeTomasi was arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court on charges including leaving the scene of a crash resulting in personal injury, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, destruction of evidence, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

DeTomasi is accused of plowing into four children who were standing with their bikes in front of a home near the intersection of Elm Street and MacArthur Road on the evening of Oct. 13.

Video of the incident showed the moment the vehicle hit them, sending them flying into the shrubbery. The car also hit a parked vehicle before driving away with a bicycle lodged underneath it.

“She drove to the point where she was dragging the bike, attempted to reverse and then had to make a significant effort to flee the scene,” prosecutor Leigh Ann Johnson told the court.

All four juveniles were treated at the scene. Two were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

After the crash, Johnson said that DeTomasi fled to Lynn, where she stashed the dinged-up car at a friend’s house, removed the license plates, and placed a cover over it.

“After receiving multiple tips, Stoneham police officers went to the address,” Johnson told the court. “As they began to search, they found the vehicle that was in question under a tarp with the license plates removed.”

DeTomasi allegedly told her friend that she had hit a parked car.

The victims were all in court to witness DeTomasi’s arraignment.

DeTomasi was ordered held on $1,000 bail and must refrain from drug and alcohol use.

Her lawyer claims she would have surrendered earlier if police had issued an arrest warrant.

She is due back in court in November.

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