A tragic series of events unfolded in Cambridge, Massachusetts when Lauren Mullins, age 32, was arrested after a devastating crash that claimed the life of a 73-year-old moped driver. According to WCVB, the incident occurred on March 21 just before 1:30 a.m. at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Vassar Street. Mullins, who was allegedly operating the vehicle under the influence, struck Daniel O'Neil on his moped before colliding with a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police cruiser.
O'Neil was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital following the crash, where he passed away two days later, turning the situation into a case of motor vehicle homicide. Mullins, hailing from Roselle Park, New Jersey and a graduate of Suffolk University Law School, was arrested at the scene. In January, caught on a police body camera, Mullins had a separate charge when she was screaming at officers in Hoboken, New Jersey, as mentioned by a WCVB report.
Prosecutors in Middlesex County stated that Mullins displayed signs of intoxication at the time of her arrest, exhibiting slurred speech and was unable to stand steady. The situation escalated as she was described as being too belligerent to complete a standardized field sobriety test, according to details from CBS News Boston. Legal representation for Mullins highlighted her law school graduation and argued for the curability of her issues, but the prosecutor pushed back, citing her apparent danger to the community.
Mullins' bail has been set at $65,000 and she faces potential prison time of up to 20 years if convicted. With her freedom secured by a monitoring device, Mullins is due back in court in mid-May, as reported by CBS News Boston. The O'Neil family, mourning the loss of a man described by his niece Meredith as someone who enjoyed riding his moped around the city, wishes for Mullins to be held accountable with Meredith telling WCVB, "She’s not sorry. She’s only sorry because she has to pay for it."
