WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Worcester Police held a press conference Wednesday to address allegations about an SUV crash that ended with a 13-year-old girl killed and four others in the hospital.
Five teens were inside the stolen SUV when it crashed at the intersection of Main and Chandler Street on Saturday night. Three of the five occupants were ejected, while two remained inside, according to police. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
In an initial report, Worcester Police said an officer attempted to stop the SUV while it was speeding, but backed off once the operator began driving erratically. The vehicle crashed sometime afterwards.
Four days later, though, the Worcester Police department called for a news conference to address what they called “false narratives about the crash.”
“We wanted to let the public know exactly what happened that night so the families can grieve in peace,” Lieutenant Sean Murtha told reporters and relatives of the teens in front of the police headquarters.
“There’s some stuff circulating on social media (and) we don’t want to give it any more oxygen,” Murtha said. “There was a narrative, I know, that the officers turned around when they knew there was a crash and intentionally went in the opposite direction and, like I said, (that’s) 100% false.”
Frustrated relatives of the victims still had questions, though, pointing to surveillance video on social media they say showed civilians rushing to help the teens after the SUV crashed, instead of police who were allegedly in view.
“It’s kind of hard to believe because they are right behind them with their lights on,” said Erica Clay, whose nephew was injured in the crash.
Relatives who spoke to the police chief after the news conference told 7NEWS they are still anxious for answers.
Police said the relatives have been invited by the chief to view surveillance footage they have of the incident prior to the crash. That viewing is slated for sometime on Thursday.
In the meantime, the crash, which involved two other cars, remains under investigation.
7NEWS has also learned three of the four surviving teens are in stable condition in the hospital, while one is still critical.
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